Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 14, membrane attached to caudal fin, with deep notch above last spine, first spine almost same or slightly higher than second; anal fin II, 15; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 4; caudal fin procurrent rays 11-14. Vertebrae 10 + 20. LL, without scales and scalelike flaps; LL tubes 7-14, canal ends below posterior to 9th dorsal ray, usually on caudal-fin base. Lower lip smooth mesially, plicate laterally. Upper lip crenulae 36-50. Gill rakers 24-27. Cephalic sensory pore system complex. Cirri, nuchal 40-59, supraorbital 13-46, nasal 9-93; 4 groups of nuchal cirri, 2 groups on 1 side rarely connected by a low basal membrane, ventralmost group on each side borne on enlarged nuchal flap. Body depth at anal-fin origin 3.5-4.0 in SL. Morphometric and meristic characters does not vary geographically. Overall dark brown; female with pale grey polygonal spots; male with irregular bars and yellow tips on caudal fin and anterior dorsal spines; irregular pupil- sized spots on head; iris with yellow-ringed pupil (Ref. 529, 90102).