5a. Nasal and maxillary barbels long, reaching at least to pectoral-fin base; body uniform in
colour, without stripes; total fin rays in confluent median fins 247 to 281 . . . . . .Plotosus canius
5b. Nasal and maxillary barbels short, reaching to, or only slightly past, posterior margin of
eye; body usually with 2 or 3 whitish stripes, 2 of which extend onto head; total fin rays in
confluent median fins 139 to 200 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Plotosus lineatus