Differs from other members of the A. erythrinus complex by having the following characteristics: from A. erythrinus by having a shorter second dorsal fin spine not reaching base of third ray of second dorsal fin when depressed; from A. indicus by usually having 14-15 pectoral fin rays versus 13 (rarely 12 or 14) in A. indicus, by lacking pigment along the base of the second dorsal fin and on the dorsal surface of the caudal peduncle (present in A. indicus), by lacking a well developed suborbital triangle of pigment (usually present in A. indicus), and by lacking or having a faint pigment blotch on caudal fin base (well developed in A. indicus); from A. marquesensis by lacking scattered dark chromatophores on sides of caudal peduncle that extend anteriorly as a band to vertical from ends of dorsal and anal fin rays (pigment extends forward as a band in A. marquesensis) (Ref. 40822).