This species is distinguished by the following characters: no spines on hind margin of preopercle; D 90-93; A 72-76; pectoral-fin rays 24-27; vertebra, precaudal 12, total 54-56; pseudobranchial filaments 3-4; anterior arch with 11-13 long gill rakers; head length 25.5–28.0 % SL; pelvic-fin length 13.5–17.0 % SL, pelvic fins not reaching beyond anus; orbit length 5.3-5.9 % SL, 19.5-23.5 % head length, and 2.0-2.2 times in upper-jaw length; longest gill filament 3.9-4.9 % SL and 15.5-19.0 % head length; ocellus spot position well posterior to a vertical line through anus, the ocellus-spot distance being 49.0-51 % SL, with spot covering 6-8 dorsal-fin rays; margins of posterior fifth to a quarter of dorsal fin and posterior half to two thirds of anal fin dark pigmented; absence of vertical bars on body; otolith length 4.8-5.0 % SL, sulcus length 3.4-3.7 % SL, and ostium height 21.0-26.5 % sulcus length (Ref. 117295).