This species is distinguished from its congeners described in North Pacific by having a robust body that is covered with small bumps and anterior dorsal-fin rays forming a lobe with deeply exserted rays; differs from C. spiraki in its more robust, shorter body reflected in having a greater body depth at pelvic disc 24.1-30.9 % (vs. 17.3-24.6 % in C. spiraki), greater head width 15.1-20.1 % (vs. 11.1-14.9 %); a more anteriorly placed anus, with snout to anus length 34.4-37.2 % (vs. 24.9-33.1 %); anus placed farther from the posterior edge of the pelvic disc 5.8-7.0 % (vs. 1.6-5.6 %); a longer pre-anal-fin length 43.9-47.7 % (vs. 34.4-43.2 %); shorter length posterior to anal-fin origin 52.3-56.1 (vs. 56.8-65.6 %); total vertebrae 42-43 (vs. 42-46); dorsal-fin rays 38-40 (vs. 38-43), pectoral-fin rays 26-29 (vs. 28-32). This species differs from C. lacrima in its more slender body with its tight skin (vs. more robust body with loose skin in C. lacrima), with two suprabranchial pores (vs. one pore), with two separate chin pores (vs. one chin pore), far lower counts of dorsal-fin rays 38-40 (vs. 47-52), anal-fin rays 32-33 (vs. 43-45), pectoral-fin rays 26-29 (vs. 32-38), and total vertebrae 42-43 (vs. 53-57) (Ref. 124469).