This species is distinguished by the following characters: precaudal vertebrae 17-18; first gill arch with long gill rakers 16-17; HL:HD 1.71-1.79; relatively few and moderately strong head spines: on ethmoidal, interorbital, supraorbital, sphenotic, supratemporal, inner and outer posttemporal, while weak lacrimal ridge and absent on prefrontal, along inner and outer preopercular rim and 5th infraorbital; opercular spine is weak and flat; maxilla no scales; small opercular flap; lower lateral line pores until beginning of anal fin 19; basibranchial tooth patches consisting of single median and pair of small lateral patches; broad dentition patch on vomer (4 rows of teeth) and on palatines (5-7 rows of teeth); otolith with single colliculum; OL:OH = 1.42-1.60; OL:TCL = 2.24-2.34 (Ref. 125143).