This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: scales absent; caudal peduncle length (19-22.3% SL); snout (34.5-37% HL); pre-anal length (73.1-74.3% SL); anus located immediately anterior to the anal-fin origin; horizontal T-shaped marking at the base of the caudal fin absent; large irregular dark brown blotches and mottled patterns extending along the dorsal and lateral surfaces of the body; lack of dark brown blotch on each side of the anal fin base absent; interorbital width (20.2-21.3% HL); pelvic-fin length (18.4-18.5% SL); pre-dorsal length (52.4-54.7% SL); pectoral-fin length (20-20.6% SL); body depth at the dorsal fin origin (16.1-17.5% SL); snout length (34.5-37% HL); head depth at the eye (51-54.7% HL); head length (21.1-22.2% SL); caudal-peduncle depth (10.8-11.0% SL); pelvic fin reaches slightly posterior to its base but does not extend beyond the anus; and post-dorsal length (31.6-31.9% SL) (Ref. 138780).