This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: anal-fin insertion less than one eye diameter posterior to a vertical through the adipose-fin insertion (vs. more than one eye diameter posterior); differs from all congeners, except H. borodini, by having an isognathous mouth (vs. slightly to moderately retrognathous); differs from all congeners except H. borodini and H. hollandi, by the keel formed by ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays shallow, far from reaching anal-fin base (vs. keel formed by ventral procurrent caudal-fin rays deep, continuing almost to the anal-fin base, even though its anterior part is devoid of fin rays); differs from H. borodini and H. hollandi by having an almost elliptical caudal fin (vs. lanceolate in H. borodini, obliquely truncate to falcate in H. hollandi; length of its dorsal lobe 18.3-19.3% SL (vs. 24.4-43.3% SL in H. borodini); differs from congeners, except carnatus, mbya, qenqo, and some specimens of H. hollandi, by having inconspicuous dorsal bars (vs. conspicuous); differs borodini, carnatus, exilis, hollandi, mustelinus, ornaticeps, by having 14-15 anal-fin rays (vs. 10-12 in borodini, hollandi; 18-21 in H. carnatus; 16-19 in H. exilis; 18-23 in H. mustelinus; and 19 in H. ornaticeps); differs from H. exilis by having a complete lateral line (in adults), continuous to base of hypural plate (vs. incomplete, not reaching dorsal-fin insertion); differs further from H. hollandi by having i,6 dorsal-fin rays (vs. i,7) (Ref. 127242).