This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 9; A 8; pectoral-fin rays 24-25; principal caudal-fin rays 14-15; rakers on third gill arch 13-16; the pelvic disc is without lateral papillae in region A while disc region B has 2 rows of weak papillae; interorbital distance 4.1-4.6 in head length; distance between disc and anus 14-17% of SL; 10-13 narrow vertical brownish bars on head and body; cheek with a white ocellus surrounded by black and a small black spot in the middle (Ref. 106378).