This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of characters: presence of a long unforked horn-like structure or bulge on the back of the head; body moderately elongate and compressed, albinotic body without pigmentation; body without scales, lateral line pores 38-49; presence of small and degenerated eyes in upper half of head; snout short, U-shaped; dorsal-fin rays, ii, 7; long pectoral-fin rays, i, 13; anal-fin rays, iii, 5; long pelvic-fin rays, i, 7; gill rakers well developed, 9 on first gill arch; tip of the pelvic-fin rays not reaching the anus when pelvic-fin rays extended backward. Color: body overall white, slightly pink posterior to dorsal fin, barbels and gills red (Ref. 128063).