A relatively small and narrow mouth opening; extremely reduced oral dentition; relatively short dorsal-fin spine with 15 or fewer serrae; both inner and outer mandibular barbels crenulated; a slender body (body depth at anus 15.1-18.4% SL; depth of caudal peduncle 6.7-8.3% SL); a short adipose fin base (length 43.3-48.9% SL); the genital papilla in males touching the base of the first anal-fin ray; a uniformly brown body without both a pale midlateral stripe and pale blotches on the sides of the body.