Bujurquina pardus is distinguished from all other congeners by having small, square or tapered black spots ('pardus type') in the region of overlap between the scale base and the anterior overlaying scale's margin. It differs from all other Bujurquina species (B. huallagae, B. moriorum, B. peregrinabunda, and B. ortegai) by the presence of white hyaline margins on the dorsal-fin lappets. It can be distinguished from all congeners except B. eurhinus, B. robusta, B. labiosa, B. huallagae, and B. oenolaemus by having a short pectoral fins (<32% of SL). It further differs from B. oenolaemus, B. cordemadi, B. tambopatae, B. eurhinus, B. labiosa, B. robusta, B. apoparuana, B. hophrys, B. megalospilus, B. ortegai, B. mariae, and B. zamorensis by the presence of light spotting on the spinous dorsal fin. It can be diagnosed from a very similar species B. huallagae, on the basis of the presence of white dorsal-fin lappet margins (rather than black), a strongly curved suborbital stripe (rather than straight or nearly straight), a complete bar 7 (rather than divided), and in having faint buccal stripes (rather than dark buccal spots) (Ref. 96081).

Description: Scale rows above lateral line 23-24; scales between upper lateral line and dorsal fin 3.5 anteriorly, 1.5 posteriorly; scales on upper lateral line 14-16; on lower lateral line 8-10 with 1 or 2 scales continuing on caudal fin; two scale rows between lateral lines; circumpeduncular scale rows 7 above lower lateral line, 7 below; cheek with three rows of scales, cycloid (Ref. 96081)