This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following set of characters: ID pattern1-2-2-2-2; caudal-fin rays 12; vertebrae, abdominal 9 (3 + 6), total 49–51; hypurals 9; D 89-92, A 76-80; longitudinal scale rows 75-83; transverse scale rows 32-35; scale rows on head posterior to lower orbit 15-17; relatively deep body (BD = 26.3-32.3% of HL); moderately long preanal length (PAL = 24.3-26.0% of SL); upper head lobe much larger than lower lobe; head moderately short (HL = 18.7-21.8% of SL), shorter than head width (HW/HL = 1.07-1.29); postorbital length short (POL = 65.6-69.5% of HL); snout long (SNL = 18.4-23.4% of HL; SNL/ED = 1.47-2.09), round to obliquely blunt anteriorly; dorsal-fin origin at point between verticals at anterior margin of upper eye and anterior margin of pupil of upper eye; predorsal length relatively long (PDL = 17.6–22.3% of HL); absence of fleshy ridge on ocular-side lower jaw; eyes separate, with anterior margin of upper usually equal to, or slightly in advance of, anterior margin of lower eye; anterior ocular-side nostril is not connected to eyes. Colouration: ocular-side pigmentation light-yellow to light-brown without melanophores; blind-side pigmentation uniformly white to light yellow; peritoneum bluish-black (Ref. 126065).