This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: base color of head, body, and fins uniformly grey, brown, or black, with light (cream, yellow or gold) dots; dentary teeth 5-7; distal tips of the dentaries converging to form an acute angle; inter-dorsal distance 12.1-12.7% SL; abdominal length 23.0-25.3% SL; dorsal-fin base length 33.1-35.0% SL; dorsal- and pectoral-fin spines 34.0-34.1% SL, 35.8-37.4% SL; caudal peduncle 11.8-12.7% SL; snout length 68.5; orbital diameter 17.1-18.3% HL; maximum standard length 180.6 mm; interorbital distance 44.5-45.8% HL; snout length 68.5-70.3% HL; inter-dorsal distance 12.1-12.7% SL; dorsal-fin spine 34.0-34.1% SL; smaller average mid lateral dot sizes for a given size individual; higher average number of dots on dorsal surface of pectoral fin (Ref. 131037).