Distinguished from other genera by having the following characteristics: small lateral extrascapula present; absence of lateral line; absence of connection between oculoscapular and preopercular canals; absence of furrow from mid-lateral scales; complete cephalic sensory canals; two groups of sensory papillae on chin, often united; sensory papillae on tip of snout forming transverse pattern; normal shaped sensory papilla, without forming barbel like projection; right and left gill membrane united at vertical from mid-point of pupil; wide gill opening, extending to a vertical from mid-point of pupil; interorbital width narrower or equal to eye diameter; cycloid predorsal scales; branched 5th pelvic ray; presence of distal radial of first-dorsal fin element; suborbital bone present; three epurals; absence of prevomerine teeth; presence of ventral transverse shelf on posterior half of urohyal; long and finger-like gill rakers on lower half outer surface of first gill arch with small spines; gill rakers separated on inner part of 4th ceratobtranchial; absence of anterior projection on anterior tip of metapterygoid; absence of connection between mesopterygoid and metapterygoid; absence of overlap with lower part of ectopterygoid and quadrate (Ref. 92840).