Distinguished from all other species of the H. flavicaudatus group, except H. guanambi, by having short filaments on the dorsal and anal fins in males, reaching anterior third of caudal fin (vs. reaching posterior part of caudal fin or surpassing its posterior margin), and from all those species except H. flavicaudatus by having minute black spots, smaller than pupil, on the centre of the flank and posterior part of the caudal peduncle in females (vs. always larger than pupil). The following combination of characters can be useful to diagnose from other members of the complex: 12-15 grey bars on flank in males; body depth 40.5-43.0% SL; caudal peduncle depth 15.7-17.3% SL; pre-dorsal length in males 48.1-52.3% SL; pre-pelvic length in males 46.6-48.4% SL; dorsal-fin base in males 37.0-39.3% SL; anal-fin base in males 35.9-38.9% SL; head width 59.6-65.9% of head length in males, 59.4-65.5% in females; and eye diameter 25.2-28.0% of head length (Ref. 89836).