Description: Head broad, depressed with slightly convex dorsal profile, snout rounded; anterior nares tubular, medial to posterior nares and nasal barbels; mouth subterminal, lips and bases of barbels papillose; four pairs of barbels, all extending beyond dorsal fin origin; barbels rounded at base, becoming flat, ellipsoid in cross section; body cylindrical between head and anal fin origin, becoming laterally compressed posteriorly (Ref. 127574). Dorsal fin with 78-86 rays, originating a short distance, less than 10% of standard length, behind supraoccipital process; anal fin with 53-64 rays, origin nearly equidistant from snout tip and caudal fin base; dorsal and anal fins not confluent with caudal fin; pectoral fin with robust spine and 10-12 rays; spine sharply pointed with slight posterior curve; strong serration present on both anterior and posterior margins; serrae angled proximally, larger on posterior margin, increasing in number with body size; pelvic fins present on all specimens examined, with 6 rays; caudal fin rounded, with 18-22 rays (Ref. 127574). Neurocranium robustly ossified; fourth infraorbital contacting suprapreopercle; frontal fontanel long and narrow, knife shaped; supraoccipital fontanel narrowly oblong, supraoccipital process sharply pointed in both juveniles and adults (Ref. 127574). Premaxillary and vomerine tooth plates similar in width, about 30% of head length; premaxillary teeth villiform; vomerine toothplate with short posterior median process, teeth subgranular; dentary teeth villiform, extending over half of dorsal surface, nearly reaching coronoid process (Ref. 127574). First branchial arch with 14-18 slender gill rakers; second and fourth arches diverticulate, forming arborescent suprabranchial organ; rosette on second arch with few branches, not overlapping larger, more extensively, branched rosette on fourth arch; respiratory organ occupies approximately one fourth of suprabranchial chamber volume; seven or eight branchiostegal rays (Ref. 127574). Urohyal trifurcate, lateral processes longer than posteromedial process; cleithrum superficial, visible externally as striated bony band at isthmus; coracoid with single circular foramen at margin with cleithrum near articulation with pectoral spine (Ref. 127574). Parapophyses of fourth and fifth vertebrae expanded, forming hourglass-shaped Weberian apparatus encapsulating bilobed gas bladder; posterolateral processes of os suspensorium forming ventral floor of Weberian capsule; 58-61 vertebrae posterior to first four vertebrae comprising Weberian apparatus; two free neural spines between skull and first dorsal-fin pterygiophore; first rib articulated with seventh vertebra, 12 ribs present; no fusion of caudal fin hypurals (Ref. 127574).

Colouration: Preserved specimens are dark brown dorsally, fading to light brown, grey, or cream coloured ventrally; some lighter coloured specimens exhibit a faint mottling of irregular dark brown markings over a slightly lighter background; fins uniformly dark brown; barbels brown at base, becoming creamy white over most of their length; underside of head pale, but with band of dark pigment above fleshy furrow between mandibular barbels and isthmus; lateral line visible as a series of small regularly spaced white pores extending from the base of the head to the base of the caudal peduncle; pores of the secondary canals of the lateral line system form a regular pattern over the flanks, but these pores are not readily visible against the darkly pigmented skin (Ref. 127574).