Distinguished from all other members of the Hypostomus cochliodon group except H. hemicochliodon by having a buccal papilla and intermediately developed teeth (juveniles of H. cochliodon and H. taphorni occasionally also have intermediate teeth). Differs from H. hemicochliodon by having brownish-red coloration with widely spaced spots vs. dark brown with closely spaced spots, by having a smaller dorsal-anal length to anal-fin length ratio (average=79.2%, 69.6-89.7% vs. average=111.1%, 92.5-132.6%) and almost completely by having a smaller interorbital width/HL ratio (average=51.4%, 38.5-45.4% vs. average=49.9%, 44.1-55.6%) (Ref. 50589).