Can be diagnosed from all other members of the genus Hypostomus, except the young specimens of Hypostomus latifrons, by having wide dark transverse bars on body and bands on the fins (vs. body entirely dark or with pale or dark spots); and by the conspicuous dark vermiculations on abdominal region (vs. abdominal region entirely dark or with pale or dark spots). Differs from Hypostomus latifrons by having the dark bars on the sides and bands on the fins in adults (vs. spots present anteriorly and dark blotches posteriorly in adults), and by having just one pre-dorsal plate margining the supraoccipital (vs. three plates) (Ref. 85849).