distinguished from all congeners by the combination of: ID pattern1-2-2-2-2; caudal-fin rays 12; vertebrae abdominal 9 (3 + 6). total 47-49; hypurals 4; D 85-88, A 72-76; longitudinal scale rows 78-88; transverse scale rows 31-34; scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 16-18; body moderately wide (BD = 25.5-28.3% of SL); preanal length short (PAL = 22.2-24.7% of SL); head relatively short (HL = 19.1-21.8% of SL), its length much shorter than its width (HW/HL = 1.06-1.20); postorbital length moderately short (POL = 65.8-70.2% of HL); the upper head lobe is usually larger than lower head lobe; dorsal-fin origin at vertical through posterior margin of upper eye; predorsal length moderately long (PDL = 21.6-28.0% of HL); snout moderately long (SNL = 16.8-21.2% of HL; SNL/ED = 1.55-2.00), round to obliquely blunt anteriorly; anterior margin of upper eye usually equal to, or slightly in advance of, anterior margin of lower eye; fleshy ridge well developed on posterior part of ocular-side lower jaw; membrane covering both eyes; a membranous flap continuous between ocular-side anterior nostril and lower part of eye. Colouration: ocular-side pigmentation uniformly yellow to light-brown, usually with 5-7 complete or incomplete crossbands while blind-side pigmentation uniformly white, usually with pepper-dots and relatively few dermal melanophores at bases of dorsal and anal fins; distinct dermal spots on bases of the anteriormost dorsal- and anal-fin rays on both sides; peritoneum bluish-black (Ref. 126065).