Diagnosis. Member of genus Schistura as defined by Kottelat (1990). Distinguished from all other species of Schistura by unique color pattern consisting of 11–16 black spots along mid-side, black spots on top of head and predorsal area continuing as a row of spots to the caudal base, and a short vertical black bar at the caudal-fin base. It is further distinguished from similar species by the following combination of characters: no black suborbital bar; lateral line extending almost to caudal fin; dorsal-fin rays iv, 8½; anal-fin rays iii, 5½; pectoral-fin rays i, 10; pelvic-fin rays i, 7; and caudal fin with 9 branched rays in upper half, 8 branched rays in lower half.