This species is distinguished by the following characters: a major portion of dentary gland dorsally positioned and held in place laterally by a dorsolateral flange of dentary; D IV-V,24-27 (usually IV,26-27); A II,16-18; pectoral-fin rays 13-15, usually 14; in adult males, inner caudal-fin rays produced as filaments. Colouration: a dark mid-lateral stripe that does not extend onto dorsal part of pectoral fin base and only very slightly onto caudal-fin base; a lower dark stripe extending from upper lip through lower half of pectoral fin to base of caudal fin; anal fin of adults with dark basal stripe (best developed in males); pelvic fin sexually dimorphic in adults, depressed fin extends to or beyond anal fin origin in males and about 25-30% of distance to anal-fin origin in females; median supratemporal pores 1 or 2 but surprisingly variable (Ref. 123060).