This species is distinguished by the following characters: D X,6 with third dorsal spine elongate and tipped with fleshy yellow filament extending beyond tip of spine; A III,7; pectoral rays 18; lateral-line scales 43; gill rakers 10 + 28; body depth 2.5 in SL; head length (HL) 3.3 in SL; papillae on posterior edge of orbit absent; 5 serrae on margin of subopercle and 5 on interopercle; snout length 4.5 in HL; front of upper lip not thickened (the male condition is unknown); bony interorbital width 3.8 in HL; caudal fin lunate, caudal concavity 3.5 in SL; color of female yellow, all fins yellow with narrow magenta margin (except pectoral fin, which lacks magenta); no stripe from snout to pectoral base; small scales located on basal quarter of soft dorsal fin from segmented rays 1-12; dorsal profile of head is slightly concave (Ref. 93435).