Differs from all other species of Mystus except M. mysticetus in having over 40 gill rakers on first gill arch. It differs from M. mysticetus in having eyes dorsolateral (rather than lateral) and from all striped Mystus of Thailand in having head from snout tip to behind eye very flat and relatively broad, dorsal margin of eye nearly flush with dorsal profile of head, interorbital width twice eye diameter. Anal fin margin distinctly rounded (truncate or falcate in other striped Mystus of Thailand) (Ref. 26663). Eyes visible from above, but not from below; adipose fin well separated from dorsal-fin base (Ref. 12693); adipose fin base longer than anal base (Ref. 43281).