Diagnosis: adipose fin always present; head rounded to more or less rectangular; posterior nostrils closer to each other than are the anterior ones; lower jaw shorter, reaching as far as or slightly beyond upper jaw; eye position variable, eye center situated at level of mouth corner or just above it; inner side of pectoral spines feebly serrated; dorsal spine 11-13.4% SL, pectoral pine 10.4-16% SL; 43-53 branched anal fin rays; 41-45 non-fused vertebrae; 10-17 gill rakers on lower part of anterior arch (Ref. 43912).

Description: 8-10 branchiostegal rays on each side of head; caudal peduncle somewhat shorter than deep, as long as deep, or slightly longer than deep (Ref. 43912). This species resembles S. angolensis, but can easily be distinguished by the longer pectoral and dorsal spines in the latter (dorsal spine 15,4% SL and pectoral spine 16,7% SL in S. angolensis against 11-13,4% SL and 10,4-16% SL in S. bocagii) and by the higher number of vertebrae (47 non-fused vertebrae in S. angolensis versus 41 -45 in S. bocagii); moreover, the head of S. angolensis is much narrower; S. bocagii also resembles S. multitaeniatus but this latter species shows another coloration pattern and different meristic counts (Ref. 43912).

Coloration: in alcohol: light brown above, lateral and ventral sides paler; silvery white tinge along lateral line and above anal fin; base of caudal fin brown; anal fin with an inconspicuous median longitudinal streak on its entire length; large dark blotch above pectoral fin where swimming-bladder comes close under skin (Ref. 43912).