This species is distinguished by the following characters: D XI,9; A III,9; pectoral rays 13 (rarely 12); complete lateral line, angling sharply downward below soft part of anal fin to straight peduncular part; pored scales 24 (plus 2 on base of caudal fin, the last greatly enlarged); body moderately deep, depth 2.75-2.95 in SL; head length 2.7 in SL; dorsal profile of head straight in adult female, with adult male, a very a slight concavity above eye; interorbital convex; orbit diameter 4.15-5.4 in head length; straight part of posterior margin of preopercle serrate, the serrae varying from 14 on 27-mm paratype to 23 on 73-mm holotype; no long filaments extending from tips of dorsal spines; caudal fin rounded and moderately long, 2.7-3.1 in SL; very long first soft ray of pelvic fins, 2.0-3.3 in SL. Color when fresh olivaceous, scale edges dotted with white, an oblique elliptical black spot on opercle, broadly rimmed in yellow, a vertical white streak to each side of posterior edge of preopercle, scattered small black spots behind eye and on nape, pupil rimmed with orange, the rest of iris with 7 spoke-like dark lines, lateral line with black dots and dashes and white dots, median fins olivaceous with white dots on rays and oblique white lines on spinous portion ventral part of head and posterior opercle of male suffused with orange, females may have a whitish stripe from front of snout and broadening to pupil depth as it passes posteriorly on body below lateral line to upper base of caudal fin, longitudinal rows of white spots may be present on body ventral to pectoral-fin base, as well as faint orange spots; alcohol-preserved, yellowish brown with faint dark spots and dashes along anterior part of lateral line, fins translucent yellowish with a black spot on each of first three spinous membranes of dorsal fin of males (half size on third membrane), 2 spots on adult females (sometimes as faint small spot on third membrane) (Ref. 93522).