This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: scale rows between 6th dorsal-fin spine and lateral line 8-11 (usually 9); scale rows between last dorsal-fin spine and lateral line 10-12 (11); middle postorbital scale rows 3 or 4 (3); caudal-peduncle depth 7.6-8.7% (moderately 8.1%) of SL; interorbital width at vertical midline of eye 23.3-27.0% (25.2%) of HL; maxillary depth 13.3-15.5% (14.2%) of HL; lower opercular spine length 30.6-33.5% (31.9%) of HL; dorsal margin of interorbital space is slightly raised; with nasal and parietal spines; no supraocular spine; second lacrimal spine directed posteroventrally; tip of lower opercular spine beyond posterior margin of opercle (sometimes just short of margin in specimens up to ca. 8.0 cm SL); jaws with short, dense conical teeth; premaxillary teeth in 3-6 irregular rows, ca. 200 teeth in total. Colouration: body base color cardinal- to blackish-red when fresh; caudal fin uniformly pale in preserved specimens; oral surface uniformly grey (uniformly pale in specimens to ca. 10.0 cm SL) (Ref. 123746).