Can be diagnosed by a combination of the following characters: rays on dorsal and ventral lobes of caudal fin with fused branches or not separated as in other species of Pseudoplatystoma; wide straight, dark vertical bars on sides; absence of loops on nape and associated areas; dorsal and ventral regions of pectoral fin pale with no spots; dorsal fin with few or no spots (sometimes 5 spots); 43 vertebrae; adipose fin with 6-7 large spots; areas surrounding the procurrent rays of dorsal fin without spots; posterior region of the metapterygoid wider than in other species, forming a depression or notch in the dorsal margin of the suspensorium (Ref. 59362).