This species is distinguished by the following characters: 12 tail rings with the anteriormost 9 mobile, articulating laterally, and remaining 3 are fused together, attenuated and dorsoventrally flattened; terminodorsal-lateral (tdl) and terminoventral-lateral (tvl) plates each with an anteriorly and posteriorly directed spine; no terminal-lateral plates (tl); with interpectoral plate (ip); with a single ventral preopercular notch; spatulate rostrum; carapace with 3 small posteriorly directed tubercles along each of the dorsal ridge, one at the centre of each dorsal plate; no scales on orbit; pectoral-fin soft rays 9-10 (usually 10), the 5th ray stouter than other rays; 7 abdominal centra, 14 caudal centra, 21 total centra; 4 dark saddles on tail and without dark saddle on tail ring XI (Ref. 117113).