Diagnosis: presence of numerous fleshy oval flaps along the border of lower lip and several small papillae. Long male pectoral fin (Ref. 52458).

Description: Dorsal profile of body gently arched from snout tip to dorsal fin origin. Body mostly straight and tapering slightly to caudal fin base. Body and caudal peduncle mostly rounded in cross section, slightly flattened ventrally and more compressed caudally. Abdomen with small patches of platelets between pelvic fins, and larger patches between pectoral fins. Narrow band of minute platelets along area between pectoral and pelvic fin origins. Minute platelets on middle of platelets. Cheek plates present on lateral margins of head; snout plates reduced to few granular platelets, snout tip with oval naked area. Snout broad and rounded anteriorly; slightly convex anterior to nares. Body progressively narrow caudally from cleithrum. Head slightly concave between orbits; dermal plates not carinate; upper margin of orbits (dorsolateral margin of frontal and sphenotic bones) slightly elevated. Eyes large, dorsolaterally placed. Lips well developed, occupying most of ventral surface of head. Lower lip mostly covered by papillae. Border of lower lip with about 28-30 fleshy oval flaps and small papillae. Maxillary barbel short, triangular. Teeth small, bifid; inner cusp large, bladelike, and slightly rounded; lateral cusp minute, pointed, approximately 1/3 length of major cusp. Premaxillary teeth 58-72, mean 64. Dentary teeth 60-86, mean 70. Interopercle region armed with 35-40 hypertrophied evertible odontodes with curved tips, longest odontode 1.5 times eye diameter. Dorsal fin origin at same vertical line through pelvic fin base; nuchal plate and dorsal fin spinelet present. Tip of last branched dorsal fin ray reaching or almost reaching adipose fin base. Pectoral fin with strong spine covered with hypertrophied odontodes with subtly curved tips on outer margin. Pectoral fin sometimes reaching tip of pelvic fin spine in mature males. Pectoral fin and odontodes in males larger than in females. Pelvic fin surpassing anal fin origin when depressed. First anal fin pterygiophore not exposed. Caudal fin I, 14, I. Body coloration (in alcohol): head dark grey, dorsally and laterally with numerous dark spots; dorsal and lateral plates of body dark grey with dark spots larger than head spots; ventral surface of head and abdomen whitish, without dark spots; all fins dark grey with large dark spots on fin spines and occasionally on membranes between fin rays, but never on branched rays; spots less numerous towards caudal peduncle (Ref. 52458).