Diagnosis: nasal barbell long, reaching to anterior margin of orbit; first branched dorsal-fin ray longest, but never filamentous; adipose fin long, its base longer than that of dorsal fin; 9 branched rays in pectoral fin; 12-13(15) gill rakers on lower limb of first gill arch (Ref. 57126).

Description: nasal barbels present; very short first dorsal spine; well developed second spine, weakly denticulate along posterior margin; pelvic fin with 1 unbranched and 5 branched soft rays; anal fin with 4 unbranched and 7-9 branched soft rays (Ref. 57126). Despite its small size, dimorphism between immature and mature specimens is clearly evident (Ref. 57126).

Coloration: no information on live specimens; preserved specimens with back and head uniformly dark brown, belly lighter (Ref. 57126).