Diagnosis: pectoral fin with sharply defined dark bar; caudal saddle and bar pattern well developed; lateral line extending to at least the level of the pelvic fin base (usually further, most commonly 45-50% SL); normally a single sensory pore between inner mental barbels (Ref. 44050).

Description: 16-19 abdominal vertebrae; 20-23 caudal vertebrae; 18 caudal-fin rays (arrangement ii-7-7-ii) (Ref. 44050).

Coloration: body and head bicolored; dorsum and flank brown, venter tan; mental barbels and underside of head darkened; dorsum and flank marked with scattered spots, some as large as several eye diameters; pectoral-fin rays dark brown from base of fin to about half its length; pelvic fin clear; posterior half of anal fin darkly pigmented, with clear distal margin, the remainder off-white; caudal fin darkly pigmented, except for pale distal margin and pale basal crescent; adipose fin dark along its base (matching the saddle), its distal margin white; caudal saddle and bar pattern well developed; caudal bar wedge-shaped, spanning caudal fin base and caudal peduncle terminus, with acute anterior margin projecting into pale interspace; pale interspace bright in juveniles and young specimens, gradually darkening into the flank ground color with age; caudal saddle dark and wide, extending nearly to the anal fin base in young specimens; saddle fades with age, hardly visible on large adults, although caudal bar and caudal fin pigmentation remain striking even in large adults (Ref. 44050).