Body robust, rounded anteriorly and compressed posteriorly; mouth sub-terminal and wide; teeth villiform, arranged in a narrow band followed by four narrow continuous bands across the palate; two pairs of barbels, the maxillary barbels long and ribbon-like; dorsal and pectoral fin spines long. Body brown; back metallic blue or bright violet; belly silvery gray; fins yellowish green; a black spot present anterior to the anal fin (Ref. 55763).