This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: slender body of moderate size, depth 9-10.6% TL; relatively narrow and very short snout, horizontal prenarial length is 8.4-9.1% TL; large eyes, length 5.1-5.6% TL; secondary lobe of anterior nasal flap is well developed; small dorsal fins that are strongly raked; first dorsal-fin spine is moderate, broad-based while the second dorsal-fin spine is moderate, robust and broad-based; weakly falcate pectoral fin in adults its inner margin relatively short, 6.9-7.8% TL; caudal fin with a short, broad caudal bar, enlarged upper caudal blotch and the fringe is located distally on lobe in juveniles; flank denticles are broadly unicuspidate to weakly tricuspidate; monospondylous centra 35-38, precaudal centra 72-76, total centra 96-100 (Ref. 58445).