A fairly small species with an oblong body, its depth 3 to 4 times in standard length. Snout rounded and projecting slightly beyond tip of upper jaw; mouth inferior; upper jaw less than half of head length; a single barbel on chin; rostral pores 3, marginal pores 5; mental pores 5; median mental pore at the base of the solid, pointed mental barbel; teeth not well differentiated into large and small, the large ones not widely spaced and forming an outer series in upper jaw; no canine teeth; sagitta (large ear stone) with a tadpole-shaped impression of which the "tail" is bent at a sharp angle and terminally cutting into the ventral edge; caudal fin rhomboid.