This species is distinguished by the following characters: adipose eyelid well developed on posterior half of the eye only; upper jaw narrowly rounded posteriorly, with supramaxilla relatively small without an anterior spine-like extension; gill rakers (including rudiments) 8-10 + 18-21 = 27-30. Colour in life green to bluish green above, silvery to white below, a diffuse dusky blotch on margin of opercle, not bordered above by a white spot; interradial membranes of spinous dorsal fin hyaline to dusky; spinous and second dorsal, anal, and caudal fins dusky yellow, with anterior rays of second dorsal and anal fins often with white tips; caudal-fin lobes often with dark tips; pelvic fins white and pectoral fins hyaline; juveniles with 7 dark bands on body (Ref. 9894).