Head much depressed, smooth above; long and narrow occipital processus, narrowly separated from interneural bone; snout broadly rounded, projecting beyond lower jaw (Ref. 2988). Eye iris dark, with a vivid yellow ring (Ref. 1568). Premaxillary band of teeth 6-7 times as long as broad, shorter than and as broad as or a little narrower than the vomerine band; maxillary barbel 1.25-2.33 times head length, extending to end of pectoral fin or a little beyond in adult, to end of ventral in young; nasal barbel 1/7(adult)-1/3 of head length; outer mandibular barbel 1.5-1.83 times length of inner and 0.5-1 times head length; gill-rakers rather long, widely set; dorsal spine smooth, less than 0.5 times head length; longest soft ray of dorsal fin 0.5-0.75 head length; adipose fin 4-5.5 times as long as deep, 1.5-1.66 times as long as dorsal fin; distance between dorsal and adipose fin 0.5-0.66 times dorsal fin length; pectoral spine not serrated in adult; caudal fin deeply forked, upper lobe with long filament (Ref. 2988).

Coloration: species blackish brown or dark steel-blue above, whitish or brassy yellow beneath with grey to blackish fins (Ref. 2988). Dark, nearly black on the back, fading into silver on the body, tinged with yellow (Ref. 36900).