Diagnosis: 14-17 (median 16) pectoral fin rays; head length 6.5-7.5 (mean 7.1) times in SL (Ref. 57226, 81680). Snout tubular, moderately elongate (Ref. 57226), ratio head length/snouth length 1.8-2.3 (Ref. 57226, 81680).

Description: total number of rings 45-47 (Ref. 81680), 13-14 trunk rings (before anus) and 32-34 tail rings (behind anus)(Ref. 57226, 81680). 5.5-6.25 subdorsal rings; dorsal fin origin from anterior margin to middle of first tail ring, usually at anterior margin; snout length positively allometric; caudal fin with 9 rays (Ref. 81680). Male brood pouch extending on (15) 16-18 rings of the tail (Ref. 57226, 81680).

Coloration: In life: generally greyish/dusky with a brick-red abdomen; lower flanks yellowish grey with a golden black margined ocellus on each ring; caudal fin black with a pale edge (Ref. 57226, 81680). Head plain in males, with black bars below eye and on lower part of opercle in females; tail rings spotted black, sprinkled with gold (Ref. 81680). Preserved specimens: each trunk ring with a black bordered brown spot extending dorsal from inferior ridge; pouch plates of males with a series of alternating short, pale, brownish bars (Ref. 57226, 81680). Sometimes dorsum and upper flanks crossed by about 10 narrow, diffuse, pale bars (Ref. 81680).