This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: premaxilla and dentary with broad rows of trilobed teeth (vs. simple or weakly trilobed teeth on both jaws); a large gill opening extending ventrally to pectoral rays 8-12 (vs. smaller gill opening above the pectoral fin or extending to less than 5 pectoral-fin rays); large pelvic disk 28.3-32.1% HL (vs. smaller pelvic disk, less than 25% head length) (Ref. 91047).