This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of pectoral fin; dorsal-fin origin above middle of pectoral fin, predorsal length 11.5-15.0% TL; the lower jaw is longer than upper jaw, slightly curved and not appressed to upper jaw when mouth closed; anus anterior, below pectoral fin, preanal length 15.4-17.3% TL; trunk is very short, trunk length 3.0-5.3% TL; no intermaxillary teeth; multiple rows of teeth on upper jaw, those on innermost row about twice the size of the rest; 5 or 6 (mainly 5) compound teeth on vomer; multiple rows of teeth on lower jaw, the innermost row about twice the size of the rest; head pores: IO 4, SO 3, M 7 (1 with 8), POP 0, AD 1, F 0, ST 0. Lateral-line pores very large, predorsal 10-13, prepectoral 8-11, preanal11-17, total pores 107-117, the last to 1/2 HL before the caudal-fin base. MVF 13-14-135, total vertebrae 131-138; colour of body uniformly light pinkish to grayish with numerous melanophores, posterior margin of anal fin and caudal fin black (Ref. 106136).