This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: anal-fin rays 2 and pterygiophores 2 instead of one behind the haemal spine of vertebra 13, 14, 15, or 16; absence of pectoral-fin notch and lower lobe; differs most clearly from N. kurchatovia and N. macquariensis in having more vertebrae 63-68 (vs. 50-58), dorsal-fin rays 57-61 (vs. 41-53) and anal-fin rays 49-54 (vs. 38-46), and generally more pectoral-fin rays 31-36 (vs. 31); with a shorter head 17-21% SL (vs. 24-25% SL), smaller eyes 1.5-1.8% SL (vs. 2.3-2.6% SL), shorter disk 5.4–7.1% SL vs. (8.8-9.9% SL), and other proportional differences; differs from N. stewarti and N. antonbruuni in other characters as above (Ref. 129455).