Diagnosis: Notoglanidium akiri differs from other species in the genus in having: an average interorbital distance, 24.1-32.8% of head length vs. smaller in N. boutchangai, N. depierrei, N. pallidum and N. pembetadi, and larger in N. maculatum and N. thomasi; a large eye diameter, 6.6-10.5% of head length vs. smaller in N. maculatum and N. pallidum; a deep adipose fin, 4.7-7.3% of standard length vs. less deep in other species except N. macrostoma and N. walkeri; an average combined premaxillary tooth plate width, 22.0-26.1% of head length vs. broader in N. boutchangai and N. macrostoma and smaller in allother species except N. depierrei and N. pembetadi; only seven soft branched dorsal-fin rays, vs. more than 8 in N. depierrei, N. maculatum, N. pallidum, N. pembetadi, N. thomasi and N. walkeri; and a high dorsal-fin spine length, 9.8-12.8% of standard length vs. shorter in all other species except N. macrostoma (Ref. 94168).

Description: Snout only moderately depressed, body not depressed, predorsal body depth 19.5-24.4% of standard length, minimal caudal peduncle depth 13.0-15.9% of standard length, head depth 58.0-75.9% of head length (Ref. 94168). Eyes very small, 6.6-10.5% of head length, situated dorsally on the first half of the head, and covered with a thin skin layer, lacking a free border around; supraoccipital process and first nuchal plate both very small and well separated from each other (Ref. 50225). Premaxillary toothplate broad, 22-27% of head length (Ref. 50225). Branchiostegal membranes completely fused (Ref. 50225, 94168). Short caudal peduncle, with a minimal height much larger than the horizontal distance between the bases of the adipose fin and the caudal fin (Ref. 50225). Dorsal fin rays II,7; pectoral fin rays I,6-7; pelvic fin rays i,5; anal fin rays iii-iv,7-9; caudal fin rays 16-18; pectoral fin reaching the base of the pelvic fin, or a little further; adipose fin rather high, at 4.7-7.3% of standard length (Ref. 50225, 94168).

Colouration: In alcohol, brown to greyish; in juveniles the flanks and the adipose fin have a reticulate pattern which may vaguely persist or disappear in adults; dorsal and caudal fins sometimes spotted; other fins always uniformly greyish (Ref. 50225, 94168).