This species is distinguished by the following characters: a rigid upper jaw lacking a flexible lamina posteriorly, extending about 0.7 eye diameter behind posterior margin of orbit; D XI-XII,10; A II,10; vertebrae 10+16; body with about 47-50 scale rows in horizontal series; gill rakers 11-13 + 21-23 = 34; the dorsal fin with 4 dark blotches on proximal half to two-thirds of fin that are superimposed on a light brown stripe extending entire length of fin, the first blotch between bases of dorsal-fin spines 2-3 or 4-5 is small and faint in contrast to the other three which are much larger, darker and oval; when alive, anterior half of caudal fin with broad white band and posterior half yellow (Ref. 128653).