This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: the exposed area of the first plates of mid-ventral and ventral series narrower than the naked area surrounding each plate; sexual dimorphism in dentition, with males having more robust and fewer teeth compared to females; azygous pre-adipose plates absent; one or two posteronasal plates; extra canal-bearing plate between supraopercle and dorsal opening of preopercular canal present; conspicuous dark spots over body and fins present; slightly hypertrophied odontodes on the posterior portion of the plates of dorsal, mid-dorsal, median and mid-ventral series observed, resembling discontinuous keels on caudal peduncle; well-developed adipose fin, extending over four or five dorsal plates, usually five; lateronasal plate absent; nare length 3.0-9.0% vs. 9.9-14.1% of HL; premaxillary 31-42, modally 35 and dentary 31-40, modally 31 teeth counts in females (Ref. 133471).