This species is distinguished by the following characters: head 7.8-8.1% TL; tail 58-59%; TL; body depth at gill opening 2.6-3.1% TL; snout 24% HL; posterior nostril opening is above the upper lip, concealed by a broad dermal flap; absence of small papillae on snout, lips and lower jaw, except along inner lip between anterior and posterior nostrils; one + four supraorbital pores; mandibular pores 6 or 7; preopercular pores 2; teeth on maxilla biserial anteriorly and uniserial posteriorly or completely uniserial, vomer uniserial or irregularly uniserial; pectoral fin short, its length 20-25% HL, round in shape; dorsal-fin origin is behind pectoral-fin tip 0.5-0.9 times pectoral-fin length (i.e. horizontal distance from a vertical through gill opening to the origin 1.5-1.9 in the fin length and 0.4 times head length); anal fin clear without a dark colored margin; 13 predorsal vertebrae 13, preanal 68-69, total 180-182 (Ref. 131479).