Adult: 19.0-55.3 cm TL; max. body wet weight, 206 g; body proportions, as percentage of TL (based on 129 specimens measuring 30.5-53.0 cm TL): 8.7-12.1 prebranchial length, 7.7-11.0 branchial length, 43.6-57.6 trunk length (derived by deduction; represents a maximum possible range), 26-33 tail length, 0.8-2.2 eye length and 2.4-4.5 disc length; intestinal diameter in prespawning individuals has a mean of 0.27 cm and in spawning individuals a mean of 0.14 cm; urogenital papilla length (percentage of branchial length in 5 spawning males 30.1-34.4 cm TL), 14.3-21.2; trunk myomeres, 63-66. Adult dentition: supraoral lamina, one unicuspid (sometimes bicuspid) tooth; infraoral lamina, 4-6, usually 5, unicuspid teeth, but sometimes the lateralmost ones are bicuspid; 4 endolaterals on each side; endolateral formula, typically 1-1-1-1; 3-5 rows of anterials; first row of anterials, 3 unicuspid teeth; 8 rows of exolaterals on each side; 3 rows of posterials; first row of posterials, 11 unicuspid teeth; transverse lingual lamina straight, 5-8 unicuspid teeth, the median one not enlarged; longitudinal lingual laminae with undetermined number of unicuspid teeth. Velar tentacles in adults, 3, long and bearing papillae; body coloration in prespawning adults, dark gray on dorsal and lateral aspects and silvery white ventrally; spawning adults are black on dorsal and lateral aspects and gray with dark oval spots ventrally; color of eggs in prespawning females, light gray or yellow, while in spawning females is bluish-green; lateral line neuromasts unpigmented; caudal fin pigmentation unrecorded; caudal fin shape, spade-like; oral fimbriae, 93-115; oral papillae, 24-31(Ref. 89241).