This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: second dorsal-fin spines 11-13 (mode 12) ; third dorsal-fin soft rays 8-10 (9); pectoral-fin rays 15-17 (16); anal-fin soft rays 16-18 (17); scale rows in longitudinal series 32-35 (33); pored lateral-line scales 16-19 (17); notched lateral-line scales 16-19 (18); scale row between last pored lateral-line scale and first notched lateral-line scale 1; mandibular pore formula 4-6+1+4-6 (4+1+4); dorsal-fin spines and rays long [e.g., lengths of second spine 8.6-12.6% of SL (mean 10.1%) and third spine 7.2-9.8% of SL (8.5%) in first dorsal fin; first spine 12.8-17.2% of SL (15.2%), second spine 13.8-18.2% of SL (15.9%), and third spine 14.2-18.4% of SL (15.8%) in second dorsal fin; and first soft ray 14.8-19.5% of SL (17.3%), second soft ray 14.7-18.9% of SL (16.9%), and third soft ray 13.9-19.1% of SL (15.9%) in third dorsal fin]; second dorsal-fin base short [25.0-32.9% of SL (mean 29.2%)]; anal-fin base short [36.9-43.5% of SL (mean 40.5%)]; the nasal tentacle unbranched, flat, broadened distally; lower two-thirds of head, including lower half of eye, snout, lips, cheek, and opercle, and pectoral-fin base, dense black in nuptial males; upper head and body is reddish-brown in males and females, reddish in nuptial males, with H-shaped and/or upside-down Y-shaped oblique brown bars on lateral surface of body in both sexes; the caudal-fin base with vertical brownish band, its width subequal to pupil diameter, and narrow vertical white band behind brownish band in both sexes; narrow, indistinct, white line along posterior margin of black area on pectoral-fin base in nuptial males; pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins reddish in nuptial males; no black fins (Ref. 118055).