This species is distinguished from its congeners ahli, altipinnis, balayi, buettikoferi, longiceps, monkei, pantherinus, punctatus by a broad humeral process (vs. pointed humeral process); differs further from altipinnis, balayi, pantherinus, punctatus by its coarse skin (vs. smooth); differs from zebratus by the humeral process clearly visible through the

skin, presence of six to seven vertical rows of spots, and anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine mostly smooth (vs. humeral process embedded under the skin, four to five bars, and anterior margin of the pectoral-fin spine mostly serrated); differs from stiassnyae by its truncated caudal fin (vs. rounded), dorsolaterally positioned eyes (vs. dorsally positioned), and the presence of regularly spaced vertical rows of spots on the flank (vs. irregularly spaced blotches): differs from ngamensis, lueleensis, poikilos, ernstswartzi, megalasma by the absence of background spots (vs. present black background spots in ernstswartzi, poikilos or vermiculated pattern in ernstswartzi or blotches in megalasma) and unspotted head (vs. spotted); differs from chiumbeensis by unspotted head and fins (vs. faintly spotted) and the relatively high adipose fin height, 6.4%-7.7% SL (vs. low, 5.1%-6.8% SL); differs further poikilos, ernstswartzi by its relatively shorter prepectoral fin length,

26.2%-29.5% SL (vs. longer, 30.6%-31.4% SL in poikilos and 28.6%-30.4% SL in ernstswartzi); differs further from poikilos, megalasma by the small head, 31.0%-34.5% SL (vs. bigger, 35.0%-35.6% SL in poikilos and 34.8%-35.5% SL in megalasma); differs from dolichorhinus, patersoni by its truncated caudal fin (vs. rounded); differs further from dolichorhinus by its moderately depressed head, its depth 48.2%-59.2% HL (vs. depressed head with depth 34.6%-40.0% HL); differs further from patersoni by the external mandibular barbel reaching distal tip of pectoral-fin spine (vs. not reaching the tip of pectoral-fin spine) (Ref. 132425).