This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: dorsal fins markedly broad and lobe-like and with a short clasper groove, not reaching the rhipidion; differs from S. mitsukurii by having a slender body (vs. highly robust), pectoral-fin posterior margin is concave (vs. straight); interorbital space narrower, 8.8%, 6.8%-8.5% TL (vs. 9.3%, 9.1%-9.8% TL); inner clasper length 1.4 times pelvic-fin inner margin length (vs. 0.7-1.1 times); differs from species of the Squalus megalops group by the having a snout relatively long (vs. short), pectoral fins markedly broad (vs. often very narrow), pectoral free rear tips rounded and lobe-like (vs. often triangular); dermal denticles tricuspidate (vs. lanceolate); further differs from all congeners by having a much larger pectoral-inner margin length (10.5%, 9.2%-11.0% TL), except from S. acanthias (Ref. 109601).