Distinguished from its epigean and cave congeners by the combination of the following characters: small size (max. 4.63 cm SL); pigmentation pattern intermediate between epigean and cave Ituglanis species, with small light brown spots on body, spots twice larger than in I. epikarsticus and I. ramiroi; eyes relatively developed when compared to cave species but reduced when compared to the epigean ones, with diameter varying from 0.2-0.3 mm (3.4-6.1% HL) in adults to 0.5 mm (5.7% HL) in juveniles (vs. 0.8-1.1 mm, 10.4-13.7% HL in adults of epigean Ituglanis species; n=6, 5.57-6.3 cm SL). Maxilla with prominent medial-posterior projection; fronto-lachrymal as long as maxilla, posteriorly pointed; posterior process of palatine 1/2 of palatine length, with medial concavity accentuated; vomer elongate with a small constriction in neck; opercle with 11 odontodes and interopercle with 26 odontodes; caudal skeleton with upper hypural plate triangular and lower trapezoidal, neural spine of preural centrum with rounded extremity, dorsal procurrent rays 16 and ventral 14 (Ref. 55401).

Description: Dorsal fin with 10 rays ( 3 unbranched, 7 branched); anal fin with 9 rays (4 unbranched, 5 branched); pectoral fin with 8 rays, first ray longer, unbranched and filamentous; and pelvic fin with 5 rays, first ray unbranched (Ref. 55401).