Characterized by having escal morphology: esca with a stout, internally pigmented appendage, usually bearing a compressed papilla and 2 tapering filaments on distal tip; several small tapering filaments along posterior margin of anterior escal appendage; papilla and filaments of anterior escal appendage unpigmented; rounded or truncated terminal escal papilla with a distal streak of pigment; unpigmented, unbranched tapering posterior escal appendage as long as or shorter than escal bulb; absence of lateral and anterolateral appendages; relatively short and broad subopercle, without indentation on posterodorsal margin; length of ventral fork of opercle 25.2-32.2% SL; ratio of lengths of the dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.52-0.59; absence of epibranchial teeth; presence of teeth on pharyngobranchial II; upper jaw teeth 20-37, lower jaw teeth 22-48; teeth on vomer 4-7; dorsal fin rays 5-7; anal fin rays 4; pectoral fin rays 17-19; head length 35.0-46.2% SL; head depth 36.3-48.8% SL; premaxilla length 25.0-35.0% SL; length of lower jaw 38.3-50.0% SL; length of illicium 19.1-28.3% SL (Ref. 86949).