This species is distinguished by the following characters: precaudal vertebrae 17-18; first gill arch with long gill rakers 13-15; HL:HD 1.97-2.08; distance of pelvic base to beginning of anal fin 0.72-0.98 times H:; all head spines are strong, present on ethmoidal, lacrimal, prefrontal, interorbital, supraorbital, sphenotic, fifth infraorbital, supratemporal, inner and outer posttemporal, inner and outer preopercular rims; opercular spine is sharp, strong, extruding; maxilla no scales or a single line of scales along upper margin; lower lateral line pores until beginning of anal fin 19-21; vomer with narrow dentition patch (1-2 rows of teeth); palatines with narrow dentition patch (2-5 rows of teeth); otolith with a single, uniform colliculum; OL:OH = 1.4-1.5; OL:TCL = 1.9-2.0 (Ref. 125143).