This species is distinguished from its congeners ahli, altipinnis, balayi, buettikoferi, longiceps, monkei, pantherinus, punctatus by having a broad humeral process (vs. pointed humeral process); further differs from altipinnis, balayi, pantherinus, punctatus by having a coarse skin (vs. smooth skin); differs from buettikoferi, monkei by the anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine mostly smooth (vs. serrated from base to tip); differs from zebratus by the humeral process clearly visible through the skin, presence of five to six bars (rarely seven) on small specimens or vertical rows of spots on large specimens, and anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine mostly smooth (vs. humeral process embedded under the skin, four to five vertical rows of spots on small or four to five bars on large specimens, and anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine mostly serrated); differs stiassnyae by external mandibular barbel not reaching the tip of pectoral-fin spine (vs. reaching beyond the tip of pectoral-fin spine) and eyes positioned dorsolaterally (vs. dorsal); differs from ngamensis, lueleensis, poikilos, ernstswartzi, megalasma by absence of black background spots in between the vertical bars or rows of spots (vs. background spots present in ngamensis, lueleensis, poikilos or vermiculated pattern in ernstswartzi, or blotches in megalasma; further differs from these five species by absence or presence of only few spots on the head and fins (vs. heavily spotted in the other species); differs from dolichorhinus by a moderately depressed head, its depth 48.5%-54.9% HL (vs. depressed head, head depth 34.6%-40.0% HL), a deep body, 15.5%-21.4% SL (vs. shallower, 11.6%-14.0% SL), and posterior edge of anal fin reaching the posterior base of adipose fin (vs. not reaching posterior base of adipose fin); differs from chiumbeensis by having the posterior edge of anal fin reaching the posterior base of adipose fin (vs. reaching beyond level of posterior base of adipose fin) and external mandibular barbel not reaching tip of pectoral-fin spine (vs. reaching tip of pectoral-fin spine); differs from luendaensis by the external mandibular barbel not reaching the tip of pectoral-fin spine (vs. reaching distal tip of pectoral-fin spine) and rounded caudal fin (vs. truncate) (Ref. 132425).