This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: anterior and posterior nostrils narrowly separated; lips smooth, with furrows; barbel-like elongation of anterior nostrils longer than depth of nostril tube; presence of body pigmentation; eyes normal, diameter 6.5-17.1% of head length; caudal fin rounded, with irregular black markings; body completely covered with fine scales except for the head; lateral line incomplete, with 14 or 15 pores, last lateral line pore reaching above the tip of pectoral fin; dorsal-fin rays, iii-7; (7) pectoral-fin rays, i-9; anal-fin rays, iii-5; pelvic-fin rays, i-7; 14 branched caudal-fin rays; tip of ventral fin extended backward, not reaching the anus; dorsal fin origin posterior to the pelvic-fin origin; inrostral barbel extending backward and not reaching the anterior margin of the eye; tip of maxillary barbel not reaching the posterior margin of the gill cover; and vertebrae 4 + 34 (Ref. 129327).