Description: Body stout; mouth small, horizontal (Ref. 52193). Dorsal fin with 13-16 spines and 9-11 soft rays; anal fin with 3 spines and 7-9 soft rays; pectoral fin short and rounded; caudal fin strongly rounded (Ref. 4967, 52193). Lateral line scales 26-31, chest scales not sharply differentiated from body scales (Ref. 4967, 52193).

Colouration: Females are light brown with black vertical bars and light yellowish fins (Ref. 52193). Male colours differ with locality; body usually a mesh of iridescent light blue and yellow, with an oblique bar through the eyeand iridescent blue lower jaw; dorsal fin has a red tip, black submarginal band and iridescent blue blocks, pelvics black, caudal and anal fins have iridescent blue and red blocks, anal with orange tip; colours are accentuated during breeding (Ref. 52193).