This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: skin thin and deciduous; color uniformly chocolate brown; preopercular and oral lateral line canals usually sharing a common branch; long dorsal spine, longer than first dorsal fin; adult male with short claspers (11-13% BDL), trifurcate, divided at about distal third of clasper; structure of the CO1 gene (Ref. 76965).