This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: processus dentiformis at the medium of the upper jaw, reduced, not covering lower jaw when mouth shut; tubercle-bearing absent; elevated skin on the sides of the head and a thickened tuberculated pad on the dorsal surface of the thickened and widened rays of the pectoral fin in males; body scaleless; supra-pelvic flap absent; eye vestigial, diameter of eye 3.8-5.9% SL; a closely situated eyes interorbital length 23.5-31.9%HL; adipose crest between dorsal fin and caudal fin base absent; anal fin height 7.0-8.4% SL, anal fin base 8.4-9.6% SL; posteriorly situated pelvic fin (prepelvic length 51.7-56.0% SL); pectoral fin 17.6-20.2% SL; maxillary barbels 22.4-27.5%; outer rostral barbels 23.0-29.8% SL; depressed body body depth 10.1-13.5% SL; caudal peduncle 5.5-8.5% SL; and elongated head head depth 41.4-46.5% HL and head width 52.3-60.3% HL (Ref. 138000).