Diagnosis: Dorsal rays 63-68; anal rays 47-53; most dorsal and anal rays branched. Lateral line scales 61-67, including 8-9 anterior to a vertical at upper end of gill opening; one to three pores beneath some scales on ocular side of body near base of dorsal and anal fins. Vertebrae 36-38; dorsal pterygiophores anterior to fourth neural spine 8-9. Body depth 2.35-2.65 in SL; head short, length (HL) 4.7-4.85 in SL. Upper lip not overlapping lower lip when mouth closed. No prominent cirri on ventral edge of head. Lateral line aligned with dorsal third of upper eye; eye diameter 4.6-6.25 in HL; upper eye overlapping anterior half to two-thirds of lower eye; interorbital space narrow, the vertical distance separating eyes about half eye diameter. Caudal peduncle absent. Longest dorsal ray 1.5-1.75 in HL; caudal fin slightly pointed, its length 3.95-4.8 in SL; pelvic fins 1.8-2.0 in HL, the tip of longest ray reaching base of third anal ray. Ocular side light brown with numerous small variable dark brown spots of variable size, some in form of a small cross; cirri on lengthwise membranous ridge of rays of dorsal and anal fins dark brown (appearing as small dark spots without magnification) (Ref. 57560).