This species is distinguished from all its congeners from Rio Iguaçu by the following set of characters: third infraorbital narrow and deep, not in contact with preopercle, leaving an ample naked area between these bones; teeth of premaxillary series straight; symphysal teeth of premaxillary internal series and dentary teeth tricuspid; teeth on premaxillary external series often tricuspid, with lateral cusps minute when pentacuspid; rest of teeth in premaxillary internal series pentacuspid; maxillary bone long, forming an obtuse angle with premaxillary bone when mouth is closed; dentary large and provided with 4 large tricuspidate, followed by 3-5 tricuspid or pentacuspid teeth (Ref. 85756).