Distinguished by the following characteristics: brownish head and body; 3-4 broad oblique bars on the dorsal part of the body and another on the dorsal half of the peduncle; 2 narrow faint dark bands extending posteriorly from the lower half of the eye; presence of dark moustache streak, not extending past the rear end on maxilla; body depth less than head length, depth contained 2.9-3.2 times in SL; head length 2.5-2.7 times in standard length; flat or slightly convex interorbital area; angular preopercle, 3-4 enlarged serrae at the angle, lowermost directed ventrally; serrate interopercle and subopercle; well developed middle and lower opercular spines, upper spine not apparent; approximately straight upper edge of operculum; maxilla reaches vertical at rear edge of eye; maxilla naked or with few minute scales dorsally; 2 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw; posterior nostril about twice the size of anterior nostril (Ref. 89707).