Can be distinguished from its congeners by having the following unique combination of characters: a dark brown body with numerous yellow fine spots and blotches, head dark brown with numerous yellow spots; sublacrymal groove visible from side; secondary rostrum absent; post-oral pouch absent; subopercular groove absent; gill slit vertical; a truncate snout when viewed dorsally; abdomen without scales; lateral line scales 66-69; pelvic fin not overlapping level of anal fin origin, adpressed dorsal fin not overlapping level of anal fin origin (Ref. 57871).