This species is distinguished from all its congeners by its barred colouration which is most evident in specimens less than 3.0 cm SL (barring vaguely apparent in colour photograph of largest specimen examined. 4.93 cm SL), but very obvious in preserved individual; shape of the caudal fin is distinctive, being truncate to slightly emarginate in small specimens, but with upper and lower lobes produced in largest example known (Ref. 116412).