Distinguished from all species of Parotocinclus, except P. prata, by its abdomen

completely devoid of dermal plates between the pectoral girdle and the anus. Differs from P. prata by having the ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip smooth, without rugosities in adults (vs. ventral surface of the head behind the lower lip highly rugose in adult specimens), and by having the postrostral plate 4 contacting the infraorbitals 3 and 4 (vs. postrostral plate 4 not contacting the infraorbital series). Can be further diagnosed from most congeners, except P. arandai, P. bahiensis, P. prata, and P. spilurus, by having the rostral plate not visible ventrally on the snout tip (vs. rostral plate visible ventrally on the snout tip); and from most congeners, except P. spilurus, P. cearensis, P. prata, P. jumbo, P. spilosoma, and P. cesarpintoi, by having the pectoral girdle covered by skin medially and exposed and supporting odontodes only laterally (vs. pectoral girdle exposed and supporting odontodes both medially and laterally) (Ref. 91034).