This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: dorsal rays 119-120; anal rays 90-92; caudal rays 9-11; all scales ctenoid on ocular and blind sides; mid lateral line scales 79-82; dorsal lateral-line scales 20-21; scales between mid and dorsal lateral-lines12; total vertebrae (56-57); eyes contiguous; mouth cleft slightly closer to snout tip than to rear margin of opercle; nares on ocular side; head length shorter or about equal to its depth; posterior margin of ocular side upper jaw reaching below middle of lower eye; body depth 23.1-24.5 % SL; upper supraorbital length 27.7-27.8% HL; lower supraorbital length 39.5-44.2 % HL; horizontal diameter of lower eye 16.2-16.3 % HL colour generally dark brown with black dorsal and anal fins; and life coloration of grey brown with double row of large dark-brown blotches on dorsal and ventral thirds of body (Ref. 138626).