This species is distinguished by the following characters: head length 2.7 in SL, greater than body depth, 3.0-3.1 in SL; cheek height 3.2-3.6 in HL; snout length without lip 1.3-1.4 in cheek height; snout profile is nearly straight without prominent hump in front of eyes, angle of snout relative to upper jaw about 55°; interorbital is nearly flat or convex; fourth dorsal-fin spine is the longest, slightly longer than third; lateral-line scales 47; transverse scale rows below lateral line 15; transverse scale rows above lateral line 4.5; wide scaleless area on the upper posterior margin of opercle; lateral teeth in jaws conical. Colouration: in life brown dorsally, whitish ventrally, with a broad, brown, posteriorly tapering band along midlateral body, partially split anteriorly by a relatively broad, ascending diagonal white band; without dark streaks radiating from eye; pelvic fins translucent with diffuse grey transverse bands (Ref. 124781).