Distinguished from all its congeners by having a cordiform blotch in the nape (instead of a transverse light stripe), neuromasts of the superficial lines surrounded by melanophores on trunks, robust body with short snout, head and predorsal distance, and deep caudal peduncle. Further differs by the combination of the following characters: three wide brown blotches at lateral of body; light brown vermiculations on trunk and caudal peduncle; mouth width 11.4-13.2% SL; snout length 9.1-10.7% SL; interorbital width 44.4-49.1% HL; head length 25.5-27.8% SL; predorsal length 35.6-38.5% SL; body width 25.0-27.7% SL; adipose-fin base length 24.5-28.0% SL; caudal peduncle length 14.2-17.4% of SL; caudal-peduncle depth 13.5-14.7% SL; anal fin with 9-11 rays; pectoral-fin spine with 6-8 serrations on posterior margin; and 4-8 gill rakers. (Ref. 85327).