This species is distinguished from its Indochinese congeners except for coracinus, forabilis, interspinalum, lanceatus, laosensis, longinema, strabonis, trilineatus, zanaensis in having a uniformly dark gray body with pale midlateral and mid-dorsal stripes (vs. body with pale or dark bands, patches or spots); differs coracinus, forabilis, interspinalum, lanceatus, laosensis, longinema, strabonis, trilineatus, zanaensis in having the following unique set of characters: eye diameter 8-10% HL; interorbital distance 23-31% HL; head depth 10.6-11.6% SL; thoracic adhesive apparatus with medial pit and no anteromedial striae; body depth at anus 8.7-12.4% SL; post-adipose distance 18.6-24.6% SL; caudal peduncle depth 5.8-6.7% SL; caudal peduncle length 21.7-25.8% SL; with very thin pale midlateral stripe only as wide as a single tubercle (Ref. 117341).