This rat has shaggy fur and a relatively short tail. Its back is blackish brown, and the species account places it in forest near streams.
It is large and robust, with a large blunt head, a short tail, and shaggy fur. The upper fur is dark blackish brown, the flanks are dark brown, and the underside is paler.
The HMW 7 account places it in forest near streams at 1,400–2,300 m and describes it as terrestrial, with activity presumed to be diurnal or crepuscular.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.