This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: body covered with blunt, smooth bucklers and numerous prickles; rostrum moderately long (mean 7.7% SL) and stout, with a broad

base, directed forward horizontally; top of head with three irregular rows of bucklers; ventral surface of disk densely covered by prickles and scattered small bucklers, some slightly larger bucklers on breast; blunt subopercular buckler, without enlarged spines; small orbit (mean 12.4% SL); broad interorbital space (mean 8.5% SL), forming a deep groove; OD/RL = 1.3-2.2; OD/IO = 1.3-1.7; when fully depressed, the anal fin reaches or nearly to the caudal-fin base (Ref. 94126).