This species can be diagnosed from other congeners by the unique combinations of the following characters: second dorsal fin with 1 spine and 6-8 rays (modally 7), anal fin with 1 spine and 6-7 rays (modally 7), pectoral fin with 14-17 rays (modally 17) and first dorsal fin low, rounded and lacking filaments; lateral body with large ctenoid scales, longitudinal scale rows 26-28 (modally 27), predorsal scales 8-9 (modally 8); body with 3-4 longitudinal stripes throughout the trunk, first dorsal fin membrane with a big circle blue spot on their first dorsal fin membrane (Ref. 94984).