Diagnosis: Chiloglanis kabaensis is distinguished from C. waterloti and C. longibarbis in having more mandibular teeth in the functional row, and is distinguished from C. camarabounyi, C. dialloi, C. loffabrevum, C. tweddlei, C. pezoldi, C. lamottei, and C. polyodon in having fewer mandibular teeth in the functional row; it is easily distinguished from Chiloglanis aff. micropogon in having moderately long mandibular barbels vs. absent or reduced; it is distinguished from C. normani in having males without sexually dimorphic anal and caudal fins; it is distinguished from C. occidentalis and C. nzerekore in having shorter dorsal and pectoral spines, and shorter maxillary barbels; it can be distinguished from C. kolente in having shorter maxillary barbels and lateral mandibular barbels, and in attaining a larger maximum standard length, 45.9 vs. 25.7 (Ref. 116018).

Description: A moderate-sized Chiloglanis; 45.9 mm maximum standard length observed; body dorsally depressed anteriorly; laterally compressed posteriorly; pre-dorsal convex; sloping ventrally towards posterior nares; pre-orbital convex; post-dorsal body sloping ventrally towards the caudal fin; pre-anal profile horizontal to convex; post-anal sloping dorsally towards caudal fin (Ref. 116018). Body covered with unculiferous tubercles; more concentrated on head and dorsum; lateral line complete; arising at level of orbit and sloping ventrally towards the caudal fin; urogenital papillae sexually dimorphic; elongate and pointed in males; reduced and separated from anus by shallow invagination in females (Ref. 116018). Head depressed; gill membranes broadly united; gill openings restricted; opening at pectoral-fin origin to level of orbit; occipital-nuchal shield covered and visible through skin; eyes moderate; located in posterior half of head; horizontal axis longest; without free margins; anterior and posterior nares located mid-snout length; largely equidistant; posterior nares with elongated anterior and medial flaps (Ref. 116018). Mouth inferior; upper and lower lips united to form oral disc; oral disc moderate, 203.-27.2% of standard length; wider than long and covered in papillae (Ref. 116018). Barbels in three pairs; maxillary barbels originating from posterolateral region of disc; unbranched and moderate in length; 13.6-23.6% of head length; lateral and medial mandibular barbels moderate; incorporated into lower lip and positioned on both sides of prominent midline cleft on posterior margin of oral disc; lateral barbels, 6.9-13.5% of head length, nearly twice the length of medial barbels (Ref. 116018). Primary premaxillary teeth "S"-shaped with exposed tips brown; 18-112 teeth in four scattered rows on two ovoid patches; secondary premaxillary teeth fewer and scattered on posterior surface of premaxillae; tertiary premaxillary teeth small and needle-like; bunched near midline on dorsal edge of toothplate; mandibular teeth arranged in 1-2 rows; "S"-shaped and bunched near midline; functional, anterior, row usually contains 10 brown-tipped teeth (Ref. 116018). Dorsal-fin origin posterior to anterior third of body; dorsal fin with small spinelet, spine, and 4-5 rays; dorsal spine relatively short, 11.5-17.7% of standard length; anterior margin smooth at proximal end; three small notches distally; posterior margin smotth distally, small notches mid-length; adipose fin moderate in length, 13.3-20.2% of standard length; margin convex with small notch at terminus; caudal fin forked with rounded lobes; lower lobe distinctly longer than upper lobe; count i,7,8,i; anal-fin posterior to level of adipose-fin origin, margin convex, count iii,5-7; pelvic-fin origin at vertical between dorsal-fin terminus and adipose-fin origin; extending to origin of anal fin; margins convex; count i,6; pectoral fin with smooth spine; relatively short, 13.3-21.4% of standard length; count I,7-9 (Ref. 116018). Postcleithral process sexually dimorphic; males with an elongate, spatulate process; females possess a shorter, pointed process; body size sexually dimorphic; females attaining larger body size (Ref. 116018).

Colouration: Live colouration: body with yellowish-orange ground colour with overlying dark brown melanophores; fins yellow with dark brown markings (Ref. 116018). Typical colouration of preserved specimens: in dorsal view body medium brown; areas of lighter brown at origin of the dorsal and adipose fins, and at terminus of the adipose fin; head medium brown with lighter unculiferous tubercles; in lateral view body cream; overlain with mottled light and medium brown, lighter ventrally with overlying melanophores, light area at terminus of adipose fin extends to terminus of anal fin; ventral mostly cream; melanophores on margins, at origin of pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins; oral disc and barbels cream (Ref. 116018). Pectoral and dorsal spines and rays translucent to cream; brown melanophores on dorsal surface of pectoral fin forming dark triangle; melanophores at mid-length of pectoral fin forming brown bars; melanophores at mid-length of dorsal and anal fins form brown bars; pelvic fins cream; faint brown bar at mid-length; margin of caudal fin medium brown with areas of brown in upper and lower caudal-fin lobes; two light spots in upper and lower lobes of caudal fin (Ref. 116018).