Diagnosis: 12 branched anal-fin rays; adipose fin confluent with the dorsal procurrent part of the caudal fin; jaws unequal with lower jaw weakly-projecting; pectoral spine smooth; adipose fin origin at vertical through anal fin origin;dorsal fin to adipose fin distance 29.2–30.2 %SL; adipose-fin base long, 28.1–33.2%SL; deeply forked caudal fin with poorly developed projections on the proximal lepidotrichia of the central caudal-fin rays (Ref. 112632).

Description: Body sub-cylindrical anterior to pelvic fins, slightly laterally compressed posterior to pelvic fins to strongly compressed posterior to anal fin; predorsal profile convex at head region; sharply increasing from tip of snout to nape, then gradually increasing to dorsal fin origin; almost straight from dorsal-fin origin to adipose-fin origin, then gently sloping ventrally to end of caudal peduncle; ventral body profile almost straight; skin on head densely covered with small tubercles, that of lateral side of body with vertical rows of small keratinized tubercles, from just behind opercle to anal-fin origin; lateral line complete, lateral-line pores (25 or 27) at end of short tubes, consecutive tubes separated by short distance. Head depressed, roundish in lateral view, widest at opercle; snout long, about 1/4 HL, acutely triangular in lateral view, rounded in dorsal view; both anterior and posterior nostrils situated in front of or behind base of nasal barbel; anterior nostril rim extended as short tube; anterior margin of posterior nostril confluent with posterior base of nasal barbel; posterior margin surrounded by short rim of skin; sensory pores on head: 2 on lower jaw anterior to outer mandibular barbel, 1 on lower jaw between outer and inner mandibular barbel, 1 on lower jaw posterior to inner mandibular barbel, laterally, 1 on dorsal side of base of inner mandibular barbel, 3 on preoperculum (1 at base, 1 about 1/4 of distance from upper margin, 1 at upper margin of preoperculum), 1 behind eye, dorsally, 1 next to anterior nostril and 1 next to posterior nostril, both towards middle of head; eye ovoid, small, diameter about 5% of HL, subcutaneous, dorsolateral in position, situated posterolateral to base of nasal barbel; interorbital area concave, slightly less than 1/3 of HL; jaws unequal, lower jaw weakly projecting beyond upper; lips thick, papillate, with double folds; upper jaw teeth smaller than lower jaw teeth, arranged in large broad crescentric band; lower jaw teeth in crescentic band; gill membranes joined at isthmus; branchiostegals 11 on each side; nasal barbel long, reaching beyond base of pectoral fin; maxillary barbel long, reaching to vertical through middle of dorsal-fin base; outer mandibular barbel reaching to vertical through dorsal fin origin; inner mandibular barbel reaching beyond base of pectoral fin; dorsal fin with 1 short smooth spine, 1 unbranched ray and 6 branched rays, origin at vertical through middle of adpressed pectoral fin; pectoral fin with a smooth spine, I-i-6 ; pelvic fin i-5, located approximately at vertical through posterior 1/4 of adpressed dorsal fin; anal fin iii-12, its margin rounded, origin vertical from adipose-fin origin; caudal fin with xi-8-8-x or x-8-9-ix rays, deeply forked, upper lobe longer than lower, terminating in pointed filament formed by uppermost branched caudal-fin ray joined by uppermost and unbranched principal caudal-fin ray; 2 central caudal-fin rays with poorly developed hooks on proximal lepidotrichia, appearing as small nubbins; feather-like extensions along anterior aspect of posteriormost dorsal procurrent caudal-fin rays; adipose fin long, origin at vertical through anal fin origin, upper margin slightly convex, posteriorly continuous with dorsal procurrent part of caudal fin (Ref. 112632).

Coloration: In life: dorsum light brown with pinkish tinge; flanks pinkish brown, becoming lighter ventrally; ventrally cream; all barbels whitish, but light brown with pinkish tinge at base; fins hyaline; base of dorsal, pectoral and anal fins light brown with creamy distal margins; dipose-fin base light brown becoming lighter along distal margins; pelvic fin uniform cream; caudal-fin base light brown becoming lighter along distal margins with golden hue along some principle rays (Ref. 112632). In alcohol: dorsum and upper flanks light olive brown to beige; lower flanks beige to cream; ventrally white; barbels white with brown pigment at base; dorsal, anal and pectoral fins light olive brown at base, distal margins white; pelvic fin uniformly white; adipose fin olive brown to beige at base, margin white; caudal fin light brown at base, margins white (Ref. 112632).