This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: A 190; D 291; V 125; a short pectoral fin (16.6 % HL); the posterior portion of the ethmovomerine teeth arranged in a single row, teeth on lower and upper pharyngeal tooth plate 24 and 27, and 10 branchiostegal rays; having five lateral-line pores; ethmovomerine tooth patch extending to nearly half-length of upper jaw; preanal vertebrae 48; preoperculomandibular pores six. Colouration of preserved specimen: head and body generally orange; body whitish on belly and ventral third of caudal portion; ventral surface of the head is light yellow, covering the lower jaw and the ventral portion of the cheek; a single, broad, dichromatic stripe runs along the flank, pale yellow on the dorsal and ventral margins with a brown center, extending medially from the last lateral-line pore to the posterior third of the body; pectoral fin is predominantly orange, becoming lighter towards its distal third; anterior half of the dorsal fin is orange, transitioning to yellowish in the posterior half; anal fin whitish on its anterior third, while the posterior two-thirds are yellow (Ref. 124570).