This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: head is scaly except for subopercle which is naked with numerous small pores; scales on top of the head reaching forward to or just in front of anterior nostrils; lower margin of eye tangent to or just above a line from snout tip to upper pectoral-fin base; suborbital (second infraorbital) with a large retrorse spine, a small antrorse spine on third infraorbital immediately above suborbital spine; posterior margin of preopercle serrate or denticulate, the lower edge smooth; second anal-fin spine longer and more robust than first or third anal-fin spines. Colouration: most body scales, except for caudal peduncle, with a black spot; caudal peduncle white; a white band is usually present beneath the lateral line, from origin of lateral line to below posterior part of dorsal fin; a broad white bar from the nape onto operculum, and suborbital with distinctive white patch; upper limb of the opercular margin edged brown, and lower limb edged reddish orange; no wedge-shaped dark spot on the upper base of pectoral fin (sometimes small dark spot is present); dorsal, anal and pelvic fins are crimson or orangered; juveniles and smaller subadults without white bar on nape and with dark-edged white band from behind eye to upper part of caudal peduncle (Ref. 130620).