This species can be distinguished by the following set of characters: cephalic sensory-canal pore system (pattern 1) complete; D/A fin-ray 9/8 formula; pectoral-fin rays 18-20 (usually 19); first 7-10 pectoral-fin rays unbranched, the rest are branched; pelvic-fin ray branches short & connected by membranes ca. midway up branch; 5th pelvic-fin ray 10.6-12.2% of length of 4th ray; absence of spot lateral to pelvic-fin base; no dark spot on mid-caudal peduncle; absence of transverse bars in head and nape; distinct dark spots present on ventral side of head; eye with 4-6 white spokes radiating outwards from pupil & separating red-orange on iris; rectangular blocks on ventral half of body taller than wide and separated from each other by narrow yellow bars less than a pupil diameter; red-orange blotch behind the eye connected to a red-orange spot at back of interorbital region.

Colouration: anal fin darker than other fins, orange scale margins in life, several vertical white lines crossing red-orange region of iris on upper half of eye (Ref. 128853).