Body with alternate red and yellow stripes dorsally, and with red and silvery white on side; ventrally, the yellow stripes often as a series of close-set spots, one per scale; head red, an oblique silvery white streak below eye and a vertical one on edge of preopercle; spinous dorsal fin yellow with narrow red margin; white caudal fin with a submarginal red band in each lobe, converging and broadening basally. Five oblique rows of scales on cheek. Body depth 2.5-2.85 in SL; head length 2.6-2.95 in SL; snout length 3.4-3.9 in head length; interorbital width 5.3-6.0 in head length; slightly projecting lower jaw. Maxilla either extending slightly beyond a vertical at front edge of pupil or reaching below center of eye; upper jaw length 2.3-2.65 in head length; premaxillary groove extending to or slightly posterior to a vertical at anterior edge of orbit; anterior end of nasal bone rounded; medial margin of nasal bone without spinule; edge of nasal fossa with 1 to 7 spinules; upper edge of suborbital bones below anterior half of eye without a spine or serrae (below posterior half weakly serrated); preopercular spine about 2/3 times in orbit diameter, 4.3-5.3 in head length; 1st and 2nd dorsal spine subequal, usually the 3rd is the longest, 2.15-2.7 in head length; 3rd anal spine 1.55-1.75 in head length. Usually 10 anal soft rays (Ref. 27370).