Similar to Mogurnda fulva and Mogurnda maccuneae from Lake Kutubu, but distinguished by its coloration, which is generally dark brown or dusky grey on the upper two-thirds and pale tan below, with a faint mid-lateral stripe on the side. It lacks the distinctly spatulate snout of M. maccuneae and is also separable from that species in total vertebrae. It is further distinguished from M. furva in number of soft dorsal rays, soft anal rays, branched caudal rays, predorsal scales, and longer caudal fin (Ref. 36923).