This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: 5-6 developed rakers on anterior gill arch; spineless frontal plate and ethmoid; thin and transparent skin; below the translucent head skin are numerous neuromasts arranged in five distinct clusters; no scales; 3 developed rakers on anterior gill arch are 3-4 times length of gill filaments; palatines with a row of teeth; lower angle of preoperculum with antero-ventrally directed spine; pectoral peduncle prolonged; vertebrae, precaudal 16, total 54; fin rays, D 91, Al 64 and pectoral 14 (Ref. 93007).