Anterior nostril pierced on front side of a flap; processus dentiformis present; notch in upper lip usually present, lower lip with a median incision; lower jaw with a median notch; lateral line complete; anus about 1-2 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; 8.5 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5.5 branched anal-fin rays; caudal fin emarginate, with 9+8 branched rays; pelvic fins reaching beyond anus; axillary pelvic lobe present; adipose keel along back between dorsal and caudal fins, and ventrally on posterior half of caudal peduncle; cheeks swollen in specimens above 40 mm SL; body depth 12.9-16.4 %SL; caudal peduncle length 13.1-16.3 %SL, depth 10.1-13.4 %SL, 1.13-1.40 times in length; body with 6-8 bars, more or less as wide as interspaces, bars anterior to dorsal-fin origin usually indistinct, quite regular although sometimes incomplete on caudal peduncle, continuous across dorsal midline; black bar at caudal-fin base almost complete, not reaching dorsal and ventral midlines; dorsal-fin base with a faint spot anteriorly, followed by a low elongate pale grey blotch (Ref. 36949). Strongly arched snout (Ref. 43281).