Distinguished from all members of the Hypsolebias flavicaudatus complex, except H.

janaubensis and H. nitens, by having elongated bluish white spots on the posterior portion of the dorsal-fin base in males (vs. spots not elongated). Differs from H. nitens by having grey bars of flank in males slightly narrower, equal or slightly wider than the interspace (vs. about

two or three times wider), black spots on the middle of the flank in females larger than pupil (vs. smaller), and dorsal and anal fin filaments in males long, reaching the posterior third of the caudal fin (vs. short, reaching the anterior half of the caudal fin), and from H. janaubensis by having longer dorsal-fin base in males (38.7-43.5% SL vs. 34.4-38.4% SL), and deeper body and caudal peduncle (body depth 39.7-43.2 SL% in males and 37.2-40.8% SL in females vs. 33.9-39.5% SL and 30.7-36.8% SL, respectively; caudal peduncle depth 14.8-16.1% SL in males and 14.4-15.4% SL in females vs. 12.6-14.7% SL and 11.7-13.6% SL, respectively). Also differs from H. flavicaudatus and H. gilbertobrasili by having more grey bars on the flank in males (11-15 vs. 8-10); from H. flavicaudatus, H. gilbertobrasili and H. guanambi by the presence of short bluish white bars on the anterior portion of the dorsal-fin base in males (vs. absence); from H. radiseriatus and H. pterophylus by having shorter dorsal and anal fin filaments (reaching posterior portion of caudal fin, sometimes barely surpassing

posterior caudal-fin margin vs. in much surpassing posterior caudal-fin margin) and fewer dorsal fin filaments (2-3 vs. 4-6); from H. flavicaudatus by narrower head in males (64.1-68.8% of head length vs. 70.4-73.1%); from H. flagellatus, H. radiseriatus and H. gilbertobrasili by smaller black spot on the middle of the flank in females (smaller than eye vs. approximately equal to eye in H. flagellatus and H. radiseriatus, and greater than eye in H. gilbertobrasili). Differs also from other species of the the H. flavicaudatus complex by the rudimentary contact organs often present on the anteroventral part of the flank in males (Ref. 89836).