Can be diagnosed from its congeners by having the following characters: breast scaled between pectorals, scales extending forward beyond pectoral base (at least in some individuals of any population); snout length greater than postorbital distance; barbel reaching behind center of eye, its length 25-34% HL, 1.2-1.8 times in snout length; head length 26-28% SL; head depth 12-17% SL at nape, 48-54% HL at eye; body depth 22-25% SL; head width 16-18% SL, 60-69% HL; eye diameter 5-6% SL, 2.7-3.4 times in head depth, 1.4-1.7 times in interorbital distance (at 7-10 cm SL); caudal peduncle depth 34-42% HL (Ref. 59043).