Diagnosed from all congeners, except Corydoras panda, Corydoras reynoldsi, Corydoras weitzmani, and Corydoras tukano, by having a transverse, dark bar

(mask) across the orbit, and ground color of body uniform with large, dark rounded blotch midlaterally on trunk below adipose fin. Can be differentiated from Corydoras reynoldsi, Corydoras weitzmani, and Corydoras tukano by the absence of a midlateral trunk blotch at the dorsal-fin level, and the rounded shape of the trunk blotch at adipose-fin level. Differs from Corydoras panda by having more lateral body plates (24 dorsolateral/ 21-22 ventrolateral vs. 22-23/20), the absence of dark brown dorsal-fin blotch (vs. presence), several scattered chromatophores surrounding yellowish white area on midregion of cleithrum (vs. chromatophores absent or nearly absent on cleithrum), caudal fin with narrow series of dark brown blotches restricted to rays (vs. caudal fin hyaline), a slenderer body (depth of body 28.3-35.1% SL vs. 40.0% SL), and a narrower intercleithral area (maximum cleithral width 10.7-15.5% SL vs. 18% SL). Additional character that distinguishes this species

from its congeners includes the unique condition of its inner mental barbels, which are distinctly separated only at their distal tips (vs. barbels distinctly separated along their entire lengths). This feature is variable among Corydoras ortegaispecimens, although this is an exclusive character-state among corydoradine catfishes (Ref. 58938).

Description: Dorsal fin II,8, II,9; Anal fin ii,5; Pectoral fin I,8 or I,7; Pelvic i5 (Ref. 58938).