Differs from all its congeners by the following characters: pectoral fin with vi-vii, 11-12 rays; pelvic fin with ii, 6-7 rays; preoral groove relatively shallow, upper lip without or with 3-5 fold-like papillae in a row on its middle surface and gradually smooth to the corner of mouth; two maxillary barbels at each corner of mouth, the outer one slightly longer than the inner one, 149.0-190.9% of eye diameter; eyes small, eye diameter 14.2-18.1% of head length; Dorsal-fin origin slightly anterior to pelvic-fin origin; Caudal-peduncle depth 39.1-55.0% of its length; upper lobe of caudal fin longer than the lower one; lateral-line scales 69-74; with 6-9 black blotches on the dorsal side of body (Ref. 87910).