This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII + 9; pectoral-fin rays 13-14; gill rakers 5-6 + 16-17 = 22-23; lateral-line scales 29-30; in %SL: body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 23-26, body depth at anal-fin origin 19-22, caudal-peduncle depth 9.7-9.9, caudal-peduncle width 3.2-3.7, maximum head depth 19-20, head depth through eye 16-17, head length 29-31, postorbital length 11-12, orbit length 6.9-7.3, upper jaw length 10, barbel length 21-22, caudal-peduncle

length 21-23, caudal-fin length 29, pelvic-fin length 21, pectoral-fin length 21, pectoral-fin width 4.1-4.7, first dorsal-fin height 19, second dorsal-fin height 17; fins with brown or black stripes, bars or blotches; caudal fin with 8 oblique bars, upper caudal-fin lobe with 3-4 bars, lower lobe with 4-5 bars; first and second dorsal fin tips with dark-brown blotches; one brown mid-lateral body stripe from behind opercle to caudal base; ground colour of body and head beige, darker above lateral line, with irregular red, brown or black spots and blotches; barbels pale brown in fresh fish; preserved fish retain fin and body pigmentation (Ref. 95469).