This species is characterized by the following: small mouth, somewhat ventral on head; fleshy lips, upper lip projecting, maxilla reaching a vertical through posterior nostril; small teeth, mainly tricuspid, a few lanceolate, in 3-4 rows in jaws, with outermost row largest; vomerine teeth in small patch; nostrils 2 pairs, anterior pair with fleshy tentaculate flaps on anteroventral margin and posteroventral margin; opercle with broad flat spine, does not extend to the fleshy margin; scales are small, cycloid, embedded, extending on to cheeks and opercles, and forming a sheath along base of spinous dorsal fin (Ref. 86913).