This species is distinguished from H. chaetirhampha by the following characters: H. raleighana with eye small, its length 7% BDL (vs. 7-9% in H. chaetirhampha); interorbital space broad, 11-16% BDL (vs. 6-9%); snout tip smooth (vs. armed with small knob-like projections; only prominent in male); first dorsal fin low, length of dorsal spine anterior margin 16% BDL (vs. 19-24%); pectoral and pelvic fins broadly rounded (vs. bluntly

pointed); interdorsal space narrow, 4.5-8.4% BDL (vs. 24.8-26.8%); length of caudal dorsal margin (CDM) longer (vs. shorter) than caudal ventral margin, CDM 74-79% BDL (vs. 49-62%); length of caudal upper ray (CUR) longer (vs. shorter) than that of lower ray, CUR 10-11% BDL (vs. 4-5%); infraorbital canal strongly curved anterior to eye, forming S-shaped loop (vs. only gently curved); with distinct longer and thicker claspers, its outer length 25% BDL (vs. 16%) and its base width 3% BDL (vs. 1%); tip of the clasper excessively inflated so as to form a large, elongate and fleshy knob, covered with 16 (17 in right side) small, multifaceted, hemp-leaf shaped spines, most of which were serially arranged along its dorsomesial margin (vs. small bulb, with several simple spines sparsely distributed); a deep slit running longitudinally from dorsolateral base of rod to the ventromesial surface of the knob, running along the dorsal side of the clasper( vs. not prominent) (Ref. 123553).