Distinguished from all other species in the genus by the following combination of characters: anterior abdomen covered by plates, except for the area corresponding to the pectoral girdle, which usually lacks plates, when present in this region, plates are relatively small and few; posterior abdomen with a well-developed preanal plate, bordered anteriorly by a series of 3-5 usually polygonal plates; premaxillary and dentary teeth with unequal-sized cusps; uppermost caudal ray not prolonged in a filament; and snout tip with an oval naked area not reaching the last pore of the infraorbital sensory canal (Ref. 54478).