This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: adhesive disc region A without flattened papillae at the centre; apapillate area of adhesive disc region A is equal in width or wider than region C; the flap along posterior margin of anterior nostril is a short, thin blade; lachrymal canal pores 2 and 3 flush with surface of skin or weakly elevated above the skin; suborbital, mandibular and postorbital rows of superficial neuromasts are located in shallow grooves with smooth borders; suborbital row is continuous, extending along ventral margin of orbit; postorbital row with 3 superficial neuromasts; a single gill raker present along the anterior edge of ceratobranchial 1; D 8; A 7; pectoral-fin rays 25; vertebrae 14 + 18 = 32. Colouration: in life, a single dark brown or black irregular streak found on the lateral surface of head posterior to eye (Ref. 116173).