Diagnosis: Dorsal fin XII, 14, membrane attached to caudal fin, with deep notch above last spine, first spine almost same or slightly higher than second; anal fin II, 15; pectoral rays 15; pelvic fin I, 4; caudal fin procurrent rays 11-14. Vertebrae 10 + 20. LL, without scales and scalelike flaps; LL tubes 0-3 (sometimes up to 5), canal ends below posterior to 9th dorsal ray, usually on caudal-fin base. Lower lip smooth mesially, plicate laterally. Upper lip crenulae 36-48. Gill rakers 24-30. Cephalic sensory pore system complex. Cirri, nuchal 50-64, supraorbital 17-48, nasal 11-37; nuchal cirri in 4 groups, where 2 or 3 groups are occasionally connected basally by a slightly notched frenum, usually dorsalmost groups overlap at middle of nape, ventralmost group on each side on expanded nuchal flaps. Body depth at anal-fin origin 3.0-3.8 in SL. Adult males with brown body; females greyish brown with red spots in life (Ref. 529, 90102).