Distinguished from congeners, except Parosphromenus linkei and P. paludicola, by having 1-3 conspicuous black spots in the middle of the midlateral dark stripe. Differs from both in having a rounded caudal fin; further differs from P. linkei by having fewer segmented anal rays (6-9 vs. 10-12), and a different color pattern in the dorsal (blackish stripe, proximal anteriorly, subproximal posteriorly, bordered externally by a row of lighter spots), anal (almost hyaline proximal stripe, with blackish mark on soft anal) and caudal (with indistinct vertical rows of darker spots anteriorly) fins (vs. all unpaired fins uniformly greyish brown with several rows of minute hyaline spots). Can be differentiated from P. paludicola in having 12 spines in the dorsal fin (vs. 17-19). Further differs from most other species of the genus by a combination of dorsal and anal fin rays formulae and details of color pattern (Ref. 56232).