Can be distinguished from its congeners by possessing the following unique combination of characters: body plain dark brown or black in adults, body brown with numerous thin cream bars and blotches in juveniles; head dorsum dark brown with cream reticulate pattern; all fins reddish when alive; absence of secondary rostrum; absence of a postoral pouch; gill slit angular, subopercular groove present and continuous to pectoral fin origin; a rounded and elongate snout when viewed dorsally; presence of sublacrymal groove; abdomen without scales; lateral line with 64-71 scales; pelvic fin just touching anal fin origin, adpressed dorsal fin not overlapping level of anal fin origin (Ref. 57871).