Differs from all other species of the genus by possessing 2-4 black spots on posterobasal portion of dorsal fin in males. In addition, it can be separated from all congeners by the unique combination of the following characters: absence of pelvic fin and pelvic girdle; vertebrae 24-25; absence of second pharyngobranchial teeth; absence of ventral process of posttemporal; anal fin with 17-20 rays in females; body depth 33.5-36.0% SL in males; maximum adult size 25.6 mm SL; bright blue bars on flank in males much narrower than interspace; side of head in males with five alternating bright blue and pink to red bars; short postorbital pink strike connecting pink bars 2 and 3; anterior and posterior margins of iris bright blue; dark gray band bordered by a bright blue line on distal margin of dorsal and anal fins, and posterior margin of caudal fin in males; ground color of dorsal and anal fins orange in males; absence of bars on unpaired fins in males; and presence of yellow dots on the caudal fin in males (Ref. 75131).

Description: longitudinal series of scales 24-26; transverse series of scales 9 (Ref. 75131).