This species is distinguished by the following characters: body relatively deep; greatest depth 2.2-2.8 in SL; mouth large, maxilla length about equal to distance between bases of

last dorsal- and anal-fin rays; preopercular notch and knob poorly developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic or triangular, without a medial posterior extension; gill rakers of first gill arch 4-7 + 12-14 = 18-20 (including rudiments); caudal fin truncate. Colour of back and sides red or red-orange, lighter on lower parts; fins reddish; juveniles with a broad, oblique band of brown or black from upper jaw to beginning of dorsal fin, and a prominent black band across caudal peduncle with a pearly white anterior border, similar to L. timorensis but without the black pectoral-fin axil; young also with a series of narrow reddish horizontal lines (sometimes absent) on sides (Ref. 9821, 90102).

Description: Dorsal profile of head steeply sloped; preorbital bone much broader than eye diameter; scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line (Ref. 9821).