This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: body covered with conical bucklers and numerous prickles; long rostrum (mean 8.3% SL) is stout, pointed, with a broad base, directed forward horizontally; top of head with 3 irregular rows of bucklers; ventral surface of disk is densely covered by prickles and small flat bucklers, some have slightly larger and denser bucklers on breast than on belly; blunt subopercular buckler without well-developed spines; small orbit (mean 12.5% SL); small spinelets on the tips of both post-subopercular bucklers; broad interorbital space (mean 8.4% SL), forming a deep groove; OD/RL = 1.1-1.9; OD/IO = 1.3-1.7; when depressed, anal fin reaches or is beyond caudal-fin base (Ref. 94126).