This species is distinguished from the congeners belonging to the barred group in Vanmanenia by the following set of characters: dorsal part of the head covered with several dark brown vermiculations (vs. a large black blotch in V. microcephala, V. crassicauda, V. serrilineata); gill opening larger, with its upper angle level to the middle point of the eye (vs. opening smaller and its upper angle level with the lower edge of the eye in V. microcephala); flank with 16-21 vermiculations with widths smaller than the eye diameter (vs. 10-21 regular bars with widths approximately equal to the eye diameter in V. microcephala); dorsal part of body with 7-9 black saddles (vs. 4-5 in V. microcephala, V. crassicauda, V. serrilineata); patch of the caudal-fin base dissociated, not connected to the upper and lower margins of the caudal peduncle (vs. complete and not connected to the upper and lower margins of the caudal peduncle in V. tetraloba); flank with 16-21 vermiculations with widths smaller than the eye diameter (vs. 10-21 regular bars with widths approximately equal to the eye diameter in V. tetraloba) (Ref. 120400).

Description: Body depth 15.6-16.7% SL; caudal peduncle 2.0 times longer than deep; 19-23 bars on body in adults, 5-6 (not including a spot at caudal-fin base which results from the break down of a large blotch on caudal fin) in juveniles (Ref. 36949). Differs from other members of the genus Vanmanenia in having irregular vertical bands and larger number of the pectoral rays (Ref. 39389).