The following combination of characters diagnosed this species from all its congeners: pored lateral line scales from the supracleithrum to the hypural joint 33-36; vertebrae 33-35; greatest body depth 33.5-39.3% of SL; distance from the snout to the anal-fin origin 76.2-83.4% of SL; least depth of the caudal peduncle 11.7-13.8% of SL; length of the postorbital portion of the head 33.8-41.5% of HL; interorbital width 32.8-43.8% of HL; presence in adults of a field of scales with a parabolic margin extending onto each lobe of the caudal fin; absence in adults of prominent dark stripes or spots on the body or a dark spot at the base of the caudal fin; and absence of a patch of dark pigmentation on the dorsal or adipose fins (Ref. 85320).

Description: Dorsal-fin rays ii,10 or iii,9; anal-fin rays ii-iii,7; pectoral-fin rays 13-16; pelvic-fin rays i,8. Scales in transverse series from dorsal-fin origin to lateral line 6 or 7; scales in transverse series from anal-fin origin to lateral line 5 or 6 (Ref. 85320).