This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: (1) meristic characters: dorsal fin rays XII, 18–20; gill rakers 10–12 + 16–17 (26–29); tubed lateral-line scales 55–57; transverse scale rows above lateral line 10–11; transverse scale rows below lateral line

17–18; circumpeduncular scales 30–31; (2) morphometric characters: base of soft portion

of dorsal fin 27.6–29.4% of SL; orbit diameter 25.5–30.1% of HL; caudal peduncle length 19.2–21.3% of SL; (3) Color pattern: head and body unicolor without markings, the posterior part of the opercular membrane grey; uppermost first to third pectoral-fin rays light grey