Diagnosis: gill slits not extending ventrally beyond pectoral-fin insertions; post-orbital length at least 60% of snout length; maxillary barbels unbranched, longer than head, without tubercles and bordered by a dark basal membrane; outer mandibular barbels with long and simple ramifications; branches of inner mandibular barbels shorter, thicker and tuberculate; mandibular teeth slender and short, numbering 56-70 (63 in the holotype); denticulations of pectoral-fin spines stronger on inner than on outer margin; dorsal-fin spine long and smooth anteriorly; first branched dorsal-fin ray prolonged into a black filament that may be rather long; humeral process triangular and narrow, ending in a blunt point, not keeled ventrally; adipose fin moderately developed, rounded posteriorly and distinctly separated from rayed dorsal fin; eyes large (Ref. 57223).

Coloration: body more or less uniformly greyish, often finely speckled on back, sides and adipose fin, this pattern being much more distinct in pale specimens (Ref. 57223).