| Main Ref. | Ng, H.H., 1999 |
| Appearance refers to | |
| Bones in OsteoBase |
| Specialized organs | |
| Different appearance | |
| Different colors | |
| Remarks |
| Striking features | none |
| Body shape lateral | fusiform / normal |
| Cross section | |
| Dorsal head profile | more or less straight |
| Type of eyes | more or less normal |
| Type of mouth/snout | other (see Diagnosis) |
| Position of mouth | sub-terminal/inferior |
| Type of scales | |
| Diagnosis |
A relatively small and narrow mouth opening; extremely reduced oral dentition; relatively short dorsal-fin spine with 15 or fewer serrae; both inner and outer mandibular barbels crenulated; a slender body (body depth at anus 15.1-18.4% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 6.7-8.3% SL); a short adipose fin base (length 43.3-48.9% SL); the genital papilla in males touching the base of the first anal-fin ray; a uniformly brown body without both a pale midlateral stripe and pale blotches on the sides of the body. |
| Ease of Identification | likely to be confused with closely related species. |
| Lateral Lines | Interrupted: No |
| Scales on lateral line | |
| Pored lateral line scales | |
| Scales in lateral series | |
| Scale rows above lateral line | |
| Scale rows below lateral line | |
| Scales around caudal peduncle | |
| Barbels | |
| Gill clefts (sharks/rays only) | |
| Gill rakers | |
| on lower limb | |
| on upper limb | |
| total | 8 - 8 |
| Vertebrae | |
| preanal | |
| total | 45 - 47 |
| Attributes | no striking attributes |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Finlets No. | Dorsal |
| Ventral | |
| Spines total | 1 - 1 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 7 |
| Adipose fin | present |
| Attributes | forked |
| Fins number | 1 |
| Spines total | 0 - 0 |
| Soft-rays total | 7 - 10 |
| Pectoral | Attributes 1st ray hardened with locking structure |
| Spines 1 | |
| Soft-rays 7 - 9 | |
| Pelvics | Attributes more or less normal |
| Position abdominal behind origin of D1 | |
| Spines 0 | |
| Soft-rays 5 - 5 |