Differs from congeners , with the exception of K. rupestris, in the possession of an emarginate (vs. deeply forked) caudal fin. K. sauvagii is distinguished from K. rupestris in the coloration of the iris (light brown vs. silvery white), the presence of a distinctive wide orange-red cresent-shaped marking covering the upper half of the eye (absent in K. rupestris), the absence of a black blotch on the upper and lower lobe of the caudal fin in specimens >50.0 mm SL, a lower gill-raker count (18-20 [mode 19] vs. 18-23 [mode 20]), and by more pored lateral line scales (42-44 vs. 38-41) (Ref. 87783).