This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following characters: D 7-8 (rarely 6); A 6-8, rarely 5 (unbranched rays 0-2, branched rays 4-6); pectoral-fin rays 13-14 (rarely 11, 12, 15, or 16), not including a rudimentary one on upper fin sheath; dorsal-fin rays 7–8 (rarely 6); dorsum with two pale lappets before opercle, none black; lappets on left sagittal section of body 24-34; lappets on head before opercle 1-8; adults no prickles on dorsum or sides of body (rarely a small patch after interorbital space), prickles occasionally present in juveniles from interorbital to middle back; very distinct row of black spots on ventrolateral body from chin to end of caudal-fin peduncle, the mid-ones vertically oblong, those on extremities rounded and considerably smaller; absence of black rounded spots above ventrolateral row; caudal fin with a dark bar at base and a very wide yellow-greenish bar posteriorly (Ref. 131040).