B. macrostoma is included in the Betta unimaculata complex of closely-related species within the genus, of which members share the following set of characters: body long and slender with depth at dorsal fin origin 18-25 % SL; head large and blunt with width 19-24 % SL; long maxilla and lower lip with distance from tip of lower jaw to posterior end of maxilla 27-54 % HL; caudal-fin rounded in shape, occasionally with elongated median rays; pelvic-fin short and filamentous; dorsal and anal fins relatively pointed.