This species is distinguished by the following characters: anterior nostril placed low on snout; tip of opercular spine free; male copulatory organs with 2 pairs of equally sized psedoclaspers, larger than in all other American dinematichthyine species; inner pseudoclasper formed like a forward-pointing hook; eyes large (2.9% SL); head with broad scale patch on cheek; otolith with fused colliculi; 1 lower preopercular pore; maxillary knob at rear corner; 3 elongated rakers on anterior gill arch; anterior anal fin pterygiophore long; predorsal length long (35.3% SL), ventral fins short (16.4% SL), ending well in front of the anal opening (Ref. 55786).