Distinguished from all other species of Crossoloricaria by having more teeth (4-8 premaxillary and 8-11 mandibular teeth); more coalescing plates (17-20); maxillary barbel longer (68-109 % HL), reaching middle or proximal third of pectoral fin; barbels of lower lip more developed (16-27% HL); interorbital width greater (16-21% HL); and first ray of dorsal, pectoral and pelvic fins produced beyond branched fin rays. Furthermore, it is distinguished from C. rhami by these osteological features: tip of first dorsal-fin pterygiophore passes between paired neural spines of 8th centrum and contacts posterior border of transverse process of 7th centrum; pectoral fin reaches anterior half of pelvic fin; pelvic skeleton with ischiac process of basipterygia elongated, longer than in C. rhami; and last pterygiophore of anal fin bears a bifid posterior process, ending at the middle of haemal spine of 18th centrum.