Diagnosis: Body moderate, often deep, its depth 25% of standard length or more; 13-17 pre-pelvic and 8-11 post-pelvic scutes, 1-2 scutes before pectoral fin origin, first pre-pectoral scute longer and more developed than following scutes without ascending arms; lower jaw strongly projecting, with strong canine teeth at symphysis; pre-maxilla with 2-4 strong backward-pointing canine teeth on each side behind outer row of pre-maxillary teeth; lower gillrakers 22-33, shorter than corresponding gill filaments; anal fin with 17-21 rays; silver stripe along flank (Ref. 188, 54749, 81269, 81631). It resembles Odaxothrissa mento, which has fewer gillrakers, 16-19 vs. 22-33; and Pellonula vorax, which lacks canine teeth in the upper jaw and has longer gillrakers, equal in length to gill filaments vs. shorter (Ref. 188, 54749).

Description: Body moderate, often deep; depth 25% of standard length or more (Ref. 188). Caudal peduncle as long as deep (Ref. 1869). Snout as long as eye, which is about 33% of head length, and exceeds the interorbital width (Ref. 1869). Lower jaw strongly projecting; pre-maxilla with 2-4 strong canine teeth on each side; maxillary extending to below centre of eye (Ref. 1869, 54749, 93833). First gill arch with 32-49 gillrakers; 22-33 gillrakers on the lower limb and 10-17 on the upper limb (Ref. 2849, 54749, 81269, 81631). Dorsal fin with 14-18 rays, first ray of dorsal fin placed slightly in front of or above the pelvic insertion; anal fin with 17-21 rays; pectoral fin with 13-16 rays; pelvic fin with 8 rays; caudal fin deeply forked, with pointed lobes (Ref. 188, 1869, 54749, 81269, 81631). Cycloid scales; 40-45 scales in longitudinal series, 16-17 scales in transverse series (Ref. 1869, 54749). With 13-17 pre-pelvic and 8-11 post-pelvic scutes; pre-pectoral scutes present, 1-2 scutes in front of pectoral fin origin, first pre-pectoral scute longer and more developed than following scutes without ascending arms (Ref. 188, 54749, 81269, 81631). Number of vertebrae 44-46; with 23-25 abdominal vertebrae and 18-21 caudal vertebrae (Ref. 2849, 54749, 81269, 81631).

Colouration: Alcohol-preserved specimens are generally a light yellowish-grey, or yellowish-brown; gill cover, longitudinal stripe and ventral region much lighter (Ref. 2849, 54749, 81269, 81631). In life, upper half, with dorsal fin and base of caudal fin pale olive-green; lower half and other fins white; a broad silvery band along each side (Ref. 1869).