This species is distinguished by the following characters: lower margin of eye above a line from tip of snout to upper base of pectoral fins; a line drawn up from the posterior edge of suborbital reaching the dorsal profile 2 to 4 scale rows before origin of dorsal fin; pectoral fins very long, 1-1.3 in HL, reaching to or just beyond level of origin of anal fin; pelvic fins moderately long, 1.2-1.6 in HL, reaching to or just beyond anus; caudal fin moderately forked, upper lobe slightly longer than lower and produced into a short or moderately long filament. Colour: upper part of body pinkish, becoming silvery below; top of head behind eye with a golden sheen; 11-12 pale golden-yellow stripes along body from behind head to base of caudal fin; a prominent red-suffused yellow blotch below origin of lateral line; dorsal fin whitish, margin of fin yellow, edged with red; a pale lemon stripe near base of dorsal fin, this stripe narrow anteriorly and widening on posterior part of fin; anal fin whitish with pale lemon broken lines or scribblings over most of fin; caudal fin pink, upper tip and filament yellow (Ref. 9785).