Differs from its congeners by having the following combination of characters: body compressed posteriorly; dorsal-fin origin closer to caudal base than to snout tip; pelvic fin insertion below 2nd-3rd branched dorsal rays, fins extending beyond anus or nearly reaching anal-fin origin; caudal fin slightly emarginate; no scales on body; lateral line complete; lips thick with strong furrows and papillae remarkable at mouth angle; anterior margin of lower lip covering anterior margin of lower jaw; intestine with 2 coils; free posterior portion of air bladder nearly equal to eye diameter, connecting to anterior encapsulated portion with long tube (Ref. 72396).