Differs from its congeners by having large head 23.8-26.8% SL, which is proportionally the largest head in any Trichomycteridae. Additional diagnostic characters that distinguished this species from most or all of its congeners are the following: almost entirely cartilaginous second hypobranchial (with only vestigial ossification; mesially expanded palatine ossification; narrow and falciform cleithrum; absence of a proximal posterior concavity on the third ceratobranchial. Can be further distinguished from all congeners, except Trichomycterus stawiarski and T. sp. C, by having rigid spine-like morphology of individual procurrent rays of the caudal fin, extension of the dorsal caudal-fin procurrent rays series (extending for ten neural spine tips), and presence of ten or eleven branchiostegal rays. Dorsal fin situated on a concavity on dorsal profile of trunk, short caudal peduncle (15.4-19.7% SL) and first anal-fin ray base posterior to the vertical through the base of the last dorsal-fin ray are other useful characters for identification shared with various other species of Trichomycterus (Ref. 75005).

Description: Dorsal fin i6-7; Anal fin i-ii,5; Pectoral fin i7; Pelvic fin i4 (Ref. 75005).