This small species of the 'megalops-cubensis group' is distinguished by the following characters: head width at mouth 9.9-11.3% TL; mouth width 2.1-2.4 times the horizontal prenarial length; direct pre-second dorsal length 3.7-4.2 times the pectoral-fin anterior margin, 2.6-2.8 times the dorsal caudal margin; preoral length 2.7-3.0 times the horizontal prenarial length, 8.3-9.2% TL; anterior nasal flap strongly bifurcate; first dorsal fin upright to raked; the exposed bases of dorsal-fin spines are very broad, 1.2-1.5% TL; both dorsal fins have short inner margins, first dorsal-fin height 1.3-1.7 times its inner margin length, second dorsal-fin height 1.1-1.3 times its inner margin length; pectoral-fin anterior margin 1.9-2.2 times its inner margin length; preventral caudal margin 2.4-4.6 times inner margin of pelvic fin; caudal fin pale with poorly demarcated, whitish posterior margin, caudal bar absent; flank denticles unicuspid; monospondylous centra 39-42 (mainly 40-41), precaudal centra 82-86, total centra 107-111 (mainly 109-110) (Ref. 58437).