This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D 10-13; A 8-10; lateral-line scales 56-60; scale rows above lateral line 3.5; vertebrae 57-58; anterior gill-rakers 25-36; pseudobranchial filaments 16-27; peritoneal spots 13-16; palatine teeth uniform in length and size; posterior part of preopercle scaled; anterior nostril flap (ANF) moderately long, slender,

triangular or leaf-shaped, does not or just reaching the rear margin of posterior nostril when laid back; ANF length/ inter-nostril distance (IND) 0.71-1.30 (mean 1.03); snout is moderately rounded in lateral view; pelvic fin moderately long, its length 22.8-27.2% in SL; posterior process of pelvic girdle wide. Colouration: when fresh, pale orange dorsally, white ventrally, with eight indistinct doughnut-shaped dark blotches along body axis, some continuous with saddle-shaped blotches on dorsum; pelvic-fin rays are white and fin membranes transparent, no additional markings; caudal fin uniform whitish, with white bands on upper lobe; color in alcohol pale, with scattered irregular dark pigmentation above the lateral line (Ref. 137548).