This species is distinguished from all other hypostomines by three unique autapomorphies: large, oval area lateral to the mesethmoid that is devoid of plates; plates in the dorsal series lateral to dorsal fin reduced to less than half what would be expected for a loricariid of its size; and, a fleshy keel along and slightly anterior to the preadipose plate and extending to dorsal caudal-fin simple ray along dorsal procurrent rays (Ref. 86603).