This species is distinguished from its congeners the following characters: body is more elongate with depth at anus 2.2-5.9 %TL, more delicate and flexible; head is shorter 7.1-9.5 %TL, 25.6-36.2 %PAL, 1.8-2.8 times in trunk; dorsal-fin origin is well behind the tip of pectoral fin; vertebrae more numerous 173-183; supratemporal pore present; fleshy papillae on lower jaw, but not dorsally on head; no sensory pits on the ventral surface of head and anterior body (Ref. 129313).