This species is distinguished by the following characters: body deep and short; eyes large situated close to the margin of the head; gill rakers smooth 0 + 9-10; rostral spine strong on the ocular side; upper orbital spines strong; rostral spine on the blind side small; peritoneum dark blue (Ref. 126076).

Description: This species resembles E. xenandrus from Hawaii and E. vanuatsuense from Vanuatu, in having a deep body and large eyes; differs from its congeners by having a deeper body 1.67-1.73 in SL (vs. 1.83-2.04), with smaller head 3.65-3.77 in SL (vs. 3.09-3.49), fewer gill rakers 0 + 9-10 (vs. 0-3 + 13-14) and in other counts and proportions; similar with E. filimanus and E. maldivense in lacking a pair of black blotches on the caudal fin, in having similar numbers of dorsal- and anal- fin rays, lateral line scales and several other features, but differs from both in having a deeper body 1.67-1.73 (vs. 1.82-2.10), larger upper eye 2.73-2.88 (vs. 3.12-3.96), narrower caudal peduncle 2.24-2.25 (vs. 1.74-2.15) and other differences (Ref. 126076).