This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: hind margin of preopercle with two spines; D 91; A 75; P 26; precaudal vertebrae 13; total vertebrae 52; pseudobranchial filaments 6; long rakers on anterior gill arch 11; head length 23% Sl; pelvic-fin length 16% Sl, fins not reaching anus; orbit length 4.1% Sl and 18% hl; longest gill filament 1.6% Sl and 7.1% hl; dorsal fin with two ocelli, one smaller ocellus placed close to fin origin, spot distance 29% Sl and spot covers 6 dorsal-fin rays, and a larger central ocellus placed behind line through anus, spot distance 46% Sl and spot covers 9 dorsal-fin rays; both ocellus spots not extending ventrally onto body; preserved specimens with two dark-brown ocellus spots; absence of vertical bars on body; otolith length 5.3% Sl, sulcus length 4.2% Sl, and ostium height 15% sulcus length and 23% ostium length (Ref. 137826).