A species belonging to the Farlowella nattereri group which can be distinguished from all non-members of this group except Farlowella gracilis by possessing five rows of anterior lateral plates. Differs from Farlowella gracilis by having a snout-mouth length <50% of head length vs. ?50% in adults. Can be distinguished from other members of the Farlowella nattereri group by having a unique combination of characters: snout tip to mouth length 73-87% of pectoral fin length in adults, body depth 69-79% of pelvic fin length, body depth 49-53% of distance between pelvic and pectoral fins, head length 1.94-2.28 times length of snout tip to mouth, mid-ventral plates keeled, pectoral fins reach origins of pelvic fins, not having first anal and dorsal fin spines entirely darkly pigmented, anterior median lateral plates 14-16, posterior median lateral plates 16-18, post-anal plates 22-23, and abdominal plates 22-31 (Ref. 58770).