Description: slender, elongated body; snout pointed and relatively long; frontal profile rounded; dorsal fin rounded, but often some elongated rays in upper lobe (especially in males)(Ref. 52307).

Coloration: body medium brown, throat and breast paler; in both sexes, blue iridescent lines visible on cheeks and opercles; males with a series of black dots in upper portion of dorsal fin that may form a sort of black band; females normally with 1-2 black spots in soft dorsal fin and always with spot on origin of caudal fin; males with a red-blue seam on upper edges of dorsal and caudal fins; no additional markings or patterns visible in fins of either sex; depending on behavioral situation, 8 vertical dusky bars or a single longitudinal black stripe may be visible on body; females with rosy to violet belly and iridescent yellow blotch on sides; occasionally, most upper regions of female dorsal fin pale bluish with iridescent flush (Ref. 52307).