The species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: absence of odontodes on the proximal portion of ventral surface of first pelvic-fin ray (vs. ventral pad covered with embedded odontodes along entire length); no accessory premaxillary teeth; anal fin with intense pigment band along base and diffuse spot at midlength of fin rays (vs. pigment band at base absent, fin rays dusky, without distinct spot); no ossified spine along anterior edge of adipose fin; further differs from Lithogenes villosus by the presence of 9 (vs. 8) branched pectoral-fin rays, no pigment band on snout lateral to nares; dermal plates on caudal peduncle small, irregular, plates of dorsal and ventral series not contacting plates of midline series (vs. large plates, regular in shape, dorsal and ventral series plates contacting those of midline series posteriorly); further differs from L. valencia by having a narrower, deeper head shape, head width 78% HL (vs. 80-95% HL), 7 branched anal-fin rays (vs. 5), 12 premaxillary teeth (vs. 25-28), tooth cusps asymmetrically bifid (vs. symmetrically bifid) (Ref. 83588).