The lack of pelvic fins, girdle, and muscles separates this species from all congeners, except some of specimens of Ituglanis parahybae. Can be diagnosed from I. parahybae by the following characters: presence of a supraorbital laterosensory canal with pores s1, s3, and s6 (vs. entire supraorbital canal lacking); absence of a posterior cranial fontanel ( vs. presence); six branchiostegal rays (vs. eight); two pair of ribs (vs. six); 43-45 post-Weberian vertebrae (vs. 38); 27 predorsal post-Weberian vertebrae (vs. 22); and presence of an epural (vs. absence) (Ref. 95610).