Diagnosis: gap between supraoccipital process and nuchal shield narrow, not greater than width of supraoccipital process; postorbit 40-50% snout length; caudal peduncle long (3-3.9 times in SL), slender (length 14.3 times depth) and depressed (Ref. 81646).

Description: body firm, slender and tapered, flat below; bony ridge from dorsal to adipose and mid-dorsal and mid-ventral on caudal peduncle; head short, 4.6-6 times in SL, dorsum smooth and firm, ventrally over branchiostegal membrane skin papillose; snout long, 66% HL, pointed; nostrils separated, positioned on anterior half of snout; mouth small, ovoid in shape, subterminal; lips thick and papillose, lips on lower jaw separated by medial triangular pad; barbels short, tapered, papillose, maxillaries longest, 0.4-0.75 times HL; eyes moderately sized, closely spaced, interorbital width 1.3-2.1 times orbit diameter; orbits bony above; supraoccipital process narrow and slender, half length of snout, narrowly separated from nuchal shield of dorsal; short humeral spur above gill opening; branchiostegal membrane undivided, forming straight or slightly emarginate free edge below; predorsal distance short, less than 2 times HL; fins well-developed, all pointed and falcate; origin of dorsal less than one head length behind head; dorsal fin base entirely before origin of pelvics; dorsal fin tall and pointed, leading ray firm with flexible tip, extending full length of leading edge, hind edge concave; pectorals large, falcate with leading ray curved, broad, pectinate and padded, outer rays lie horizontal, inner rays lie in vertical plane against lateral body wall; pelvics similar in size and shape to pectorals, outer ray pectinate and padded, reaching beyond origin of anal fin base; anal fin well-developed, pointed, short-based; caudal fin with narrow compact base, deeply forked with pointed lobes (ventral lobe usually slightly longer than dorsal); adipose fin short, thin and triangular, above anal fin; ano-genital pores slightly nearer origin of anal than base of pelvics; males with papillate genital appendage (Ref. 81646).

Coloration: dark brown above and light cream below, a series of up to 6 paired light brown saddle-patches on back, first behind head, pre- and post-dorsal base, pre- and post-adipose base and at caudal fin base; fins brown above with darker bar across mid-reach; lateral line frequently indicated by thin white wavy stripe (Ref. 81646).