Diagnosis: cleithrum elongated, forming a clear prominence protruding on the chest, already visible in specimens of 53.0mm SL; sensory pores on the head greatly enlarged (Ref. 55908).

Description: dentary rather shallow; outer oral jaw teeth in adults unicuspid, sometimes bicuspid in smaller specimens; inner row jaw teeth unicuspid; teeth moveably attached; lower pharyngeal bone slender with fine, acute teeth in low densities; 1 or 2 series of cheek scales; upper part of lateral line with 20-25 scales, lower part 12-18; gill-rakers long, simple, bi- or trifid; dorsal and anal fins of adult males with elongated filaments; pectoral fins relatively long (Ref. 55908).

Coloration: Live: Adult territorial males: background color green-blue to purple with black bars; body, and dorsal and posterior parts of head, with a brown-purple hue; green-blue component most pronounced on anterior and ventro-lateral parts of head; ventral parts black; dorsal and caudal fins grey-brown; dorsal fin margin black; dark maculae and striae pattern on dorsal and caudal fins; pectoral fins grey; anal fin black anteriorly and grey posteriorly with large white or yellow ocelli (Ref. 55908). Females: silvery with brownish hue on dorsal and dorso-lateral parts; fins grey; dorsal fin lappets dark brown; vague dark maculae and striae pattern on dorsal and caudal fins (Ref. 55908). Immature and non-territorial males intermediate between female and adult male gradually becoming darker and more bronzy and then green-blue with increasing territoriality (Ref. 55908). Preserved juveniles, females and non-territorial males: yellow-brown with 6 vertical bars under the dorsal fin base; bars sometimes barely visible; fins yellow-brown; dorsal fin with dark lappets and dark maculae; caudal fin without maculae; ventral, dorsal and distal parts of caudal fin somewhat darker than the rest (Ref. 55908). Small color pattern differences exist between populations (Ref. 55908).