Can be separated from different species of the genus Pseudecheneis by having the following characters: pelvic fin reaching base of the first anal-fin ray (vs. not reaching in Pseudecheneis sulcata); pectoral fin reaching origin of pelvic fin (vs. not reaching in Pseudecheneis crassicauda; length of adipose- fin base 125-166.7% in length of anal-fin base (vs. longer than 200% in Pseudecheneis serracula); separate pelvic fins (vs. fused in Pseudecheneis sympelvica); thoracic apparatus with 15-19 transverse ridges/laminae (vs. 9-13 in Pseudecheneis paviei); deeper forked caudal fin, shortest ray of caudal fin circa 50% of longest ray (vs. 75% in other congeners, except Pseudecheneis gracilis). Distinguished from Pseudecheneis gracilis in having the following features: two ovoid yellow patches on dorsal fin (vs. a saddle patch); head length 20.1-23.7% SL (vs. 14.9-18.6); postorbital head length 8.5-11.4% in head length (vs. 4.5-5.9); and body depth 67.1-88.5% in head length (vs. 73.9-112.2%). Other useful distinguishing characters include the following: premaxillary tooth band semicircular and two or four teeth along its outer edge; body covered with dense, rounded tubercles distributed irregularly; tubercles decreasing in density gradually from occipital to caudal peduncle with almost no tubercles; and vertebrae 39 (Ref. 74729).

Description: Dorsal-fin rays i,6; anal-fin rays iii7-iv,8; pectoral-fin rays i,13-i,15 and pelvic-fin rays i,5 (Ref. 57830).