This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: maxilla short, 15.9-18.2% of SL(mean 17.1%), its posterior tip just reaching or slightly beyond anterior margin of preopercle; lower jaw rather long, 15.4-17.6% of SL (16.3%); posterior margin of preopercle convex, rounded; no predorsal scutes; prepelvic scutes 3-6 (modally 5); pelvic scute without spine; D 3 unbranched and 12-14 (13) branched rays; A 3 unbranched and 16-19 (17) branched rays, its origin located just below base of 7th to 12th dorsal-fin ray; 1UGR 16 19 (17), 1LGR 23-25 (24), 1TGR 40-43 (41); 2UGR 12 or 13 (13), 2LGR 21-23 (22), 2TGR 33-36 (34); 3UGR 10 or 11 (10), 3LGR 12-14 (13), 3TGR 22-25 (23); 4UGR 7-10 (9), 4LGT 10 or 11 (10), 4TGR 17-21 (19); gill rakers 3-6 (5) on posterior face of third gill arch; transverse scales 8 or 9 (8); pseudobranchial filaments 22-26 (22); total vertebrae 41 or 42 (41); pelvic fin rather short, 8.1-9.5% of SL (mean 8.9%), tip of depressed pelvic fin not reaching posteriorly to vertical through dorsal-fin origin; head large, its length 23.7-26.0% of SL (24.9%); postorbital distance long, 12.0-13.1% of SL (12.6%); interorbital area narrow, 4.7-5.4% of SL (5.1%); distance between dorsal-fin origin and pectoral-fin insertion long, 33.1-36.0% of SL (34.8%); distance between insertions of pectoral and pelvic fins rather long, 16.1-20.6% of SL (18.6%); body deep, 17.3-19.5% of SL (18.5%); pairs of dark patches on parietal and occipital regions; dark lines on dorsum absent; black spots on suborbital area and tip of lower jaw absent (Ref. 137813).