Pseudolithoxus kelsorum is diagnosed from all other Pseudolithoxus by having dark brown to black base color with eight to 11 (usually nine) light yellowish vertical or oblique (tilted dorsoanteriorly) transversal bands between orbits and caudal fin, bands wide and rarely but sometimes incomplete or contorted as swirls; vs. dark brown to black base color with 18 or more thin, light yellow, frequently contorted transversal bands between orbits and caudal fin in P. tigris; black base color with small white spots in P. anthrax and P. nicoi; and light brown base color with dark brown to black spots in P. dumus (Ref. 87302).