The following combination of characters distinguished this species from its congeners: body without dark stripes; paired fins with no concentric bands; pelvic fin reaching beyond anus; general appearance elongated; body width at the origin of dorsal fin 20.7-24.4% SL; caudal peduncle depth 8.0-9.6 % SL; caudal peduncle length 1.0-1.2 times in its depth; predorsal length 46.5-49.5% SL; pelvic-fin origin in front of dorsal-fin origin; absence of cavity around mouth; skin-fold between oropectoral membrane and ventral surface of head running from pectoral-fin origin to second rostral barbel; tubercles on top of head concentrated on lateral parts of snout; absence of large tubercles on branched pectoral-fin rays 15-21; and 65-70 lateral line scales. Very dark, almost black when alive; color pattern changes after preservation (Ref. 40433).