This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VII,9; pectoral fins 13-15; gill rakers 5-7 + 16-19 = 22-25. Adult measurements in %SL: body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 23-27 and at anus 19-22; caudal-peduncle depth 8.9-11; maximum head depth 19-23, while head depth through eye 15-19; head length 28-31; orbit length 7.4-8.9; upper jaw length 10-12; barbel length 24-26; caudal-fin length 28-30; anal-fin height 16-20; pelvic-fin length 20-23; pectoral-fin length 24-26; first dorsal-fin height 21-24 and second dorsal-fin height 16-19. Colouration: upper caudal-fin lobe with 4 pale brown or red oblique bars when fresh; the lower caudal-fin lobe is almost entirely covered by a broad, distally darkening orange or red stripe, bordered by white pelvic-fin margin, white lobe tip, and dark fin margin dorsally; in preserved specimens only weak indications of upper caudal-fin lobe bars and a dark pigmented zone remain on the lower lobe close to tip; barbels are yellow; no or only weak indications of lateral body stripe; the head and body are rose or white ventrally and laterally, orange or red dorsally; preserved fish is uniformly pale brown or brown (Ref. 98481).