This species can be diagnosed from all congeners, except Loricaria coximensis, L. holmbergi, and L. pumila, by possessing large and tightly joined plates confined to median abdominal space between lateral abdominal plates, with pectoral girdle entirely naked or occasionally with small isolated plates near base of pectoral fin (vs. plates covering the entire median abdominal space and pectoral girdle, usually with a V-shaped anterior margin). It differs from L. pumila by having a larger adult size (13-19 cm vs. less than 8.5 cm SL), iris operculum present (vs. absent), and larger eye size (minimum orbital diameter 16.2- 19.4% vs. usually less than 13.3% of HL); from most similar species L. coximensis and L. holmbergi by having a larger adult size (13-19 cm SL vs. usually less than 13 cm SL) and larger post-ural plate length (17.0-20.3% vs. 7.4-14.2% of HL); and further distinguished from L. coximensis by having 32-33 lateral plates (vs. 28-31) (Ref. 94550).