This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: a combination of a cephalic sensory-canal pore system pattern IV (lacking PITO and IT pores and AITO pore enlarged); a dorsal/anal fin-ray formula 9/9; pectoral-fin rays unbranched; fifth pelvic-fin ray elongate; ventral half of body with a red to dusky red stripe in life (grey in preservative), extending from behind head to caudal-fin base ending in a symmetrical black spot; ventral stripe bordered dorsally by a yellow-to-orange stripe in live coloration; melanophores broadly scattered on upper half of pectoral-fin base; eye with a few small, white spots surrounding pupil and small white spots covering an orange dorsal sclera; and male urogenital papilla narrow, elongate with two short lateral points at end and spotted with black dots (Ref. 138098).