Diagnosed from all congeners except Cottus chattahoochee by the combination of the following characters: modally eight infraorbital canal pores; five bones in the suborbital series; reduced palatine teeth; a flexible spine and four rays in the pelvic fin; preoperculomandibular canals not fused at anterior rami of mandibles, with two pores at tip of chin; pectoral rays simple; preopercular armature well-developed with two or three spines; chin not mottled; and dorsal fins separate. Differs from Cottus chattahoochee by having the following features: usually incomplete lateral line (vs. complete); dermal prickling reduced or absent, when present generally restricted to a few scattered prickles in area along anterior part of lateral line (vs. a robust postpectoral patch in addition to prickles along the anterior lateral line); and narrow to moderately wide saddles (vs. moderate or wide) (Ref. 72414).