Body compressed, deep; anterior nostril pierced on front side of a flap; processus dentiformis present; both lips with many deep folds, upper notched, lower with median incision; no notch in lower jaw; dorsal keel on caudal peduncle; lateral line complete; anus midway between pelvic-fin base and anal-fin origin; 10.5 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5.5 branched anal-fin rays; caudal fin emarginate, with 9+8 branched rays; axillary pelvic lobe present; body with 8-10 dark brown bars wider than interspaces, edges darker than middle; bars may all be very regular, or some may be irregular, interrupted or branched, or with a paler spot inside; black bar at caudal-fin base narrow, complete; dorsal fin with broad dark grey basal band, a black spot at base of anterior rays, and a conspicuous subdistal row of black spots; pelvic, anal and caudal fins red-orange in life (Ref. 36949).