This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D X,12; A 11; P1 14 plus three ventral free rays; P2 I,5; first dorsal fin nearly triangular, first three spines about equal in length, second spine longest, first spine slightly shorter, third spine slighly shorter than second, anterior margin of first spine with pronounced serrations; membranes without a black spot or ocellus specifically on fourth or fifth membranes; pectoral fins fan-shaped semicircular when expanded and long, usually reaching to last third of second-dorsal-fin base or beyond when flat (but variable); snout concave, sharply rising, duck-billed profile, eyes protruding well above profile, snout broadly rounded from dorsal view, no prominent rostral extensions or spiny edges to lachrymal plate; presence of nasal cirrus, about twice length of nasal opening, no supraocular cirrus; mouth relatively small, lower jaw subterminal and without a knob; head with prominent bony plates, ridges and granulations; head spines comprising preocular, postocular, sphenotic, pterotic, parietal, nuchal, opercular, preopercular (without a supplemental spine), and a cleithral (humeral) spine over pectoral fin (rostral, preorbital, and suborbital spines absent and no postfrontal groove); scales ctenoid and small, about 48 pored lateral-line scales, about 94 vertical rows of lateral scales, nuchal and opercular-flap scales present, ventral scales extend forward just past level of anterior insertion of pelvic fins; body common brownish orange pattern to blotched in colors varying from brown to red, to a darker, almost black-and-white pattern; often bright orange ventrally; white patches like splashed paint on head and body in individual unique patterns; a line of prominent white spots highlighting some of the pored lateral-line scales; lip markings a variety of spots and bars (not a simple three dark bands on a white background, at front, middle and corner of jaw); pectoral fin with irregular spot pattern, clearest on common color form, with small rounded spots concentrated on fifth through tenth membranes, becoming reticulations on distal lowermost rays; a thick blue margin on lower 10 rays; pectoral-fin base around origin of rays with an irregular pattern (not discrete rounded spots); caudal fin with dark bars, one at base and a distal wide bar often splitting into two (dark fish can have a black striped pattern); free pectoral-fin rays thick and prominently banded. Juvenile with brown mottled color pattern and relatively longer pectoral fins, reaching past end of second dorsal fin; uniform orangish with two prominent black-edged white saddles along dorsal midline in front of and behind soft-dorsal-fin base of juveniles; and gill rakers short spiny tubercles in two rows of 11, inner and outer, on lower limb of first arch (Ref. 137950).