This species is distinguished from its congeners by having two or more paranasal plates between the pararostral plates and the second infraorbital (vs. a single paranasal plate in H. gulare and H. machadoi or paranasal plates absent); by having a single plate between the canal-bearing plate and the first, second, and third infraorbitals (vs. two plates); by having the canal-bearing plate subdivided into a smaller plate along the anteromedial margin and the larger posterior portion that bears the canal (vs. a single, undivided canal-bearing plate); by having the basipterygium constricted laterally, the interpelvic distance 2.0-6.4 (5.1) (vs. > 6.5); by having the anterodorsal basipterygium lamina that forms the channel for the pelvic arrector muscles extended anteriorly beyond the lateral basipteryigium process (vs. anterodorsal basipterygium lamina not extended beyond lateral basipterygium process); by having the tips of the caudal-fin rays darkly pigmented, forming a vertical band along the fin margin (vs. tips of not uniformly dark, not forming a vertical band along posterior margin). It is further distinct from all congeners, except for H. brevirostratum, by mature males having a membranous outgrowth between pelvic spine and first pelvic-fin branched ray (vs. no membranous

outgrowth) (Ref. 84367).