This species is distinguished by the following characters: color purplish-brown dorsally to pale purplish-grey ventrally, with 7 faint, dark bars upper 2/3-3/4 of body, the last 4 broadly paler in the middle where lateral line passes through; a dark purplish-brown spot as large as eye on upper half of caudal-fin base and continuing narrowly onto dorsal edge of caudal fin; a slightly diagonal, narrow, dark purplish brown bar on lower half of cheek directly below the eye; median fins purplish grey, darker distally; D V,21; A I,17; 17 pectoral rays; 51 lateral line scales; gill rakers 3 + 9; terminal mouth; palatine teeth absent; vomerine teeth in one row; finely ctenoid scales on body, also on abdomen, prepelvic area and cheek; preopercle margin strongly serrate except ventrally; greatest body depth 5.25 in SL; compressed body, width 1.3 in depth; head length (HL) 3.35 in SL; orbit diameter 4.0 in HL; fourth dorsal spine is the longest; caudal fin slightly rounded, with a narrow protruding posterior upper lobe; pectoral fins 5.1 in SL; pelvic fins just reaching anus, 4.7 in SL (Ref. 79876).