They are commonly called whiptail catfish because of the long filament that grows out of the tip of the caudal fin that is characteristic of the genus.

[1][3][4][5][6] Hemiloricaria, Fonchiiichthys, and Leliella been variably considered synonyms of Rineloricaria; these genera were erected to account for differences in sexually dimorphic traits.

[citation needed] The fish are long, slender, have no visible barbels, an erect dorsal fin, a very thin caudal peduncle, and a narrow face.

[citation needed] They are also covered with bony plates and have a sucker disk mouth, as is common with most fish in the family Loricariidae.

Sexual dimorphism includes hypertrophied development of the odontodes along the sides of the head, on the pectoral spines and rays, and predorsal area of mature males.