This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: maxilla short, 15.9-17.8% of

SL, posterior tip just reaching to or slightly beyond anterior margin of preopercle (just short of anterior margin in individuals < 3.6 cm SL); posterior margin of preopercle convex, rounded; predorsal scutes absent; prepelvic scutes 1-4 (modally 4); pelvic scute no spine; dorsal fin with three unbranched and 12-14 (13) branched rays; anal fin with three unbranched and 18-19 (18) branched rays, the origin located just below base of ninth to eleventh dorsal-fin ray; gill rakers at first (1) gill arch, upper (1UGR) 20-24 + lower (1LGR) 30-34 = 50-56 (1TGR); 2UGR 15-18 + 2LGR 26-30 = 2TGR 42-48; 3UGR 12-13 + 3LGR 15-17 = 3TGR 27-30; 4UGR 9-10 + 4LGR 12-14 = 4TGR 21-24; gill rakers 5-7 on the posterior face of third gill arch; transverse scales 8; pseudobranchial filaments 16-21; total vertebrae 38 or 39; pelvic fin short, 10.2-11.3% of SL, depressed tip reaching posteriorly to vertical through 3rd to 6th dorsal-fin ray origin; pectoral fin short, 15.9-16.3% of SL; predorsal fin length short, 50.1-53.6% of SL; caudal peduncle rather long, 16.8-18.6% of SL; body slender, 16.8-19.0% of SL, distance between dorsal-fin origin and pelvic-fin insertion 20.1-23.4% of SL, between origins of dorsal and anal fins 19.1-20.3%. Colouration: pairs of dark patches on parietal and occipital areas; no dark lines on dorsum; black spots on the tips of snout and lower jaw, but not on suborbital area; melanophores scattered on second to eigth uppermost pectoral-fin rays (Ref. 131038).