This species is distinguished from its congeners by the folowing charactes: head with red color not extending to the humeral region and with a black spot on the lower posterior border of the caudal peduncle (vs. head color not extending to humeral region with only one black spot on caudal peduncle in georgiae, and head color extending to humeral with two black spots on caudal peduncle in bleheri); dentary with 5-6 teeth, with 5 cuspids, usually followed by 4 conical ones (vs. 9-11 teeth, with 5 cuspids in georgiae, and 6 teeth, with 6-7 cuspids, followed by 1 or 2 tricuspidate ones in bleheri) (Ref. 127081).