This species belongs to the Anablepsoides limoncochae group. Its males differ from all other species of this group by having red striped pattern on their flanks, running from the caudal peduncle to the posterior area of the pectoral fin only (vs. stripes reaching to the humeral region). It can be further diagnosed by the combination of the following characters: grey anal fin (vs. yellow); dorsal fin with only a few dots (vs. completely oblique transverse stripe on the middle of the dorsal fin); dark margin on the dorsal fin absent (vs. present); and inferior lip without a distinctive coloration (vs. red inferior lip) (Ref. 94121).