This species is distinguished by the following characters: D 15-16; A 10-11; vertebrae 26 or 27 + 17 or 18 = 44; lateral line scales 44 + 1, below lateral line 4.5; predorsal scales 20; gill rakers 3 + 12; elongated snout, length 11.5-12.4% SL and 34.6-36.5% HL, which is much longer than eye diameter, dorsoventrally flattened, narrowly rounded from above; narrow bony interorbital, width 3.0-3.5% SL and 8.9-10.3% HL; snout tip to dorsal fin origin 42.5-43.7% SL in distance and 128-129% HL; anal n base 92-9.8% SL and 27.0-29.1% HL; colour of posterior end of maxilla and posterior and ventral margins of preopercle stark white; translucent dorsal fin with 4-6 narrow submarginal stripes from base to outer edge of fin, stripes posteriorly angled obliquely, intervening spaces of fin rays white; caudal fin white with 4-5 red bands crossing each lobe and proximal bands continuous

across fin in some (Ref. 94775).