This species is distinguished from its congeners in the Birds Head region by the following characters: D IV-V+I,13-14; A I, 21-23; 34-35 lateral scales; 10-11 transverse scales; 16-18 predorsal scales; 14-16 cheek scales; 18 gillrakers; short snout length, 8.2-8.7% of SL; broad interorbital width, 9.1-9.5% of SL; large eye diameter, 8.7-9.3% of SL; an elongate body, its depth 29.9-33.2; a long prepelvic length, 39.0-40.4% of SL; relatively short predorsal length, 48.4-50.3% of SL; caudal peduncle short and slender, its length 12.6-14.4 and its depth 10.3-11.1% of SL; short pelvic fin length, 15.1-17.9% of SL; moderately long dorsal fin base length, 37.5-42.7% of SL; dorsal origin aligned with anal origin

or behind it, until the 3rd anal soft ray. Colouration: no stripe on the margin of the anal and dorsal fins; a continuous black midlateral stripe, covering 3 scales wide from upper edge of preopercle to caudal fin base (Ref. 103156).