Juveniles (less than 15 cm SL) exhibit a body pattern dominated by three prominent dark blotches on the sides. The largest blotch, located below the soft dorsal fin, has a long teardrop shape that tapers posteriorly and is clearly separated from an elliptical caudal blotch. In larger juveniles, these blotches develop pale borders, giving them an ocellated appearance. Adults display a different pattern, with two distinct, ocellated dark blotches on the sides. The anterior blotch is rounded, situated below the base of the spinous dorsal fin, and does not extend above the anterior lateral line. The posterior blotch, located below the soft dorsal fin, is highly irregular in shape and often displaced dorsally. A smaller, ocellated or non-ocellated dark blotch may occasionally appear below the posterior base of the spinous dorsal fin, aligning with the anterior blotch. Vertical bars on the sides are either absent or faint. Additionally, a postorbital stripe is always present but appears as a broken series of irregular dark spots, each typically ocellated.