This species is distinguished by the following characters: one perforated dorsolateral body plate; ventral keel of scapulocoracoid orientated towards anterior margin of bone, its anterior portion surpassing horizontal through middle of mesial border of scapulocoracoid; preopercular-opercular region similar in males and females, with only minute, scattered odontodes; both sexes with dorsal and pectoral fins equal in length; absence of a black spot on the base of the median caudal fin rays; pectoral-fin rays I,8,i; males with somewhat more slender bodies, 25.7-30.5% in SL (range 26.3-28.8% in type series); transverse blotches along body irregular; deep caudal peduncle, 12.3-15.3% in SL (range 12.6-15.3% in type series); interorbital distance, 29.4-33.7% in HL (range 30.3-33.7% in type series); snout length, 39.9-45.5% in HL (range 39.9-43.6% in type series) (Ref. 56919).