Diagnosis: body elongated and rounded; head broad and only slightly flattened above; snout rounded; mouth inferior; maxillary barbels reaching to pectoral fin bases, mandibular ones being shorter: osseous head shield, coarsely rugose, fairly visible through the skin (Ref. 57224). Occipital process moderately broad at base, tapering towards its distal end, with a median keel (Ref. 2683, 57224). Predorsal plate very rugose, short and crescent-shaped; premaxillary teeth villiform forming a plate slightly curved (Ref. 57224). Palatal teeth in single pair of rounded patches, well separated by a space smaller than their diameter (Ref. 57224, 81640). No gill-rakers on the posterior face of the 1st and 2nd arches (Ref. 57224). Total number of anterior gill-rakers on 1st arch: 11-14 (Ref. 57224, 81640). 11-15 gill rakers on the outer side of the entire 2nd arch (Ref. 81640). Dorsal fin short with a long, osseous serrated spine preceded by a very short one; dorsal and pectoral fins with a strong serrated, erectile spine; adipose fin well developed; caudal fin forked with long pointed lobes (Ref. 57224).

Coloration: olive brown above, belly whitish (Ref. 57224).