This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VII + 9; pectoral fins 14; gill rakers 6 + 15-17 = 21-23; moderately elongated body is laterally slightly compressed. Measurements as % SL: body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 23-24 and at anal-fin origin 20-21; caudal-peduncle depth 9.6-9.9, width 4.2-4.3; maximum head depth 20-21; head depth through eye 16; head length 29; snout length 10-11; orbit length 7.1-7.5; upper-jaw length 12; barbel length 20; caudal-fin length 28-30; anal-fin height 16-17; pelvic-fin length 20-21; pectoral-fin length 19-20; first dorsal-fin height 20, with dorsal-fin spines proportionally decreasing in height; second dorsal-fin height 17; total oblique bars on caudal fin 11-14. Bod markings and colouration: upper caudal-fin lobe with 5-6 brown mostly straight bars while lower caudal-fin lobe with 6-8 short brown bars ventrally, connecting dorsally to a brown stripe of about orbit diameter in its maximum width, and with about 3 short red, brownish-ochre bars along dorsal margin that do not correspond with bars on ventral-lobe margin; caudal-fin stripe and bars retained even when preserved; dorsal fins in fresh fish with 3-4 thin brown stripes, also retained in preservative; when fresh barbels reddish white; body when freshly deceased is dark brown dorsally and pale brown ventrally, ventral margin white; mid-lateral body stripe dark brown, rather inconspicuous on snout and posterior half of body; head entirely grey brown; body and head dark brown dorsally and pale brown ventrally when preserved (Ref. 123711).