This species is distinguished from most of its congeners by the number of lateral line scales (41-44 vs. 39-41 or 44-58). It shares similar lateral line counts with some of its congeners, but differs from H. boquiae, H. metae, H. polyodon, and H. taeniurus by the number of scales along anal-fin base scale sheath (6-10 vs. 10-24). It differs from H. jabonero by the number of gill rakers (17-18 vs. 19-21); from H. brevispini by the number of cusps of three anteriormost dentary teeth (5 vs. 3), and by absence of bony hooks in the caudal-fin rays of males (vs. presence); from H. divisorensis and H. surinamensis by the absence of a wide black asymmetrical spot covering base of caudal-fin rays; from H. helleri and H. jelskii by the size of humeral spot (over 7-8 vs. 5-6 horizontal series of scales; from H. helleri by the number of predorsal scales (13-16 vs.16-18), and by the total number of vertebrae (41-43 vs. 39-40); from H. mikrostiktos by the size of humeral spot (6-7 vs. 2-3 horizontal series of scales), and by total number of pelvic-fin rays (7 vs. 8); from H. paez, H. quindos, and H. virolinica by the number of cusps of premaxillary inner row teeth (5-7 vs. 3-4); from H. rafaelense and H. raqueliae by the number of predorsal scales (13-16 vs. 10-12 and 10-13); from H. raqueliae by the number of cusps of first maxillary tooth (3 vs. 5) (Ref. 85819).