This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: subterminal mouth with two pairs of barbels; 14-16, usually 15 scale rows around the caudal peduncle; 15-18, usually 16-17 predorsal scales; lateral line to dorsal fin scales 6-8, usually 6-7; 19-21, usually 20 precaudal vertebrae; 14-16 pectoral fin rays; interorbital width 32.3-38.7% HL; anterior barbel length 8.4-24.8% HL; orbit diameter 18.4-26.4% HL; linear stripes on the body absent; dorsal and mid-lateral spots and blotches present; tuberculation of head in mature breeding males: large to small conical/blunt tubercles, 3-4 in each snout cluster, single row above each naris with 0-3 tubercles per cluster, and single row above each orbit with 1-2 tubercles in each cluster; and 0-2, usually 1 tooth in the outer pharyngeal tooth row (Ref. 137884).