This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: dorsal rays XIII,10-11 (rarely 10); anal rays II,10-11 (rarely 10); pectoral rays 16-18 (usually 17); tubed lateral-line scales 15-18 (rarely 15); total gill rakers on first arch 20-23 (usually 21-22); body depth 2.3-2.5 (mean 2.4) in SL; ventral margin of suborbital exposed (i.e. not hidden by scales); dorsal, anal and caudal fin filaments well developed, dorsal filament to 39% SL and caudal concavity to 27% SL; colour in life brown on most of head and body and adjoining dorsal, anal, and pelvic fins, except light brown to tan caudal peduncle and aqua blue to whitish caudal fin and posteriormost part of dorsal and anal fins; upper two-thirds of pectoral-fin base dark brown, invading upper half of axil; and relatively large, diffuse dark brown blotch, covering cluster of several scales, at origin of lateral line (Ref. 138626).