Diagnosis: caudal fin with 7+8 principal rays; caudal peduncle 1.6-2 times longer than deep; snout longer than post-orbit length; eyes placed distinctly nearer to hind margin of head than to tip of snout (Ref. 81646).

Description: body stout, depressed anteriorly, tapered posteriorly; head 3.6-4.6 times in SL, depressed, flat above and below, anterior edge obtusely blunt; mouth subterminal; lips fleshy; teeth caniniform, in deep narrow patch on premaxillary and band on maxillary; maxillary barbels shorter than head length; snout long, 0.6-0.65% HL; nostrils in mid-snout; eyes small, relatively closely spaced, interorbital width 1.3-2.5 times orbit diameter, confluent with head (no free orbital margins); large sexually mature males develop swollen snouts (pre-orbital region); caudal peduncle relatively long, 5.3-6.5 times in SL, and slender, depth 1.6-2.3 times in length; fins well-developed; dorsal fin with 1 unbranched and 6 branched rays, rectangular with straight edges, leading ray forms entire leading edge; pectoral fins with 1 unbranched and 8-9 branched rays, fan-like with padded pectinate leading ray, not reaching pelvics; pelvic fins with 1 unbranched and 5 branched rays, entirely posterior to dorsal, not reaching anal base, leading ray padded and pectinate; anal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 5-7 branched rays, short, not reaching caudal, with 2-3 unbranched rays and 5-7 branched rays; caudal fin shallowly forked or emarginate, lobes of equal size, fin base covered with fleshy pad; adipose fin short and rounded (ellipsoid), above anal; anus adjacent to genital pore, positioned nearer to pelvic fins than to anal base (Ref. 81646).

Coloration: mottled with grey-black spots and vermiculated marks over dorsal and lateral surfaces; 5 lighter dorsal saddles from behind head to base of adipose fin, the light areas partly filled with brown markings; fin rays brown with darker bands; caudal with dark base, a medial band and a distal band; ventral surface from head to anus light brown or cream (Ref. 81646).