This large species belonging to the 'highfin megalops group' has the following set of characters: abdomen depth 10.4-12.6% TL; pre-vent length 46.9-48.1% TL, 2.0-2.2 times dorsal caudal margin; pre-second dorsal length 3.7-4.3 times the pectoral-fin anterior margin, 2.5-2.8 times dorsal caudal margin; head width 1.0-1.4 times abdomen width; preoral length 2.9-3.1 times horizontal prenarial length, 8.4-9.1% TL; head length 4.3-4.9 times its eye length; mouth width 3.3-4.1 times length of upper labial furrow; interorbital width 1.5-1.7 times the horizontal preorbital length; fifth gill slit height 2.1-2.5% TL; strongly bifurcated anterior nasal flap; first dorsal fin upright, upper posterior margin directed posteroventrally, greatest concavity about midway between free rear tip and fin apex; posterior margin of second dorsal fin deeply concave; second dorsal-fin spine with a broad base; pectoral fin of adult not falcate, anterior margin long, 14.2-15.8% TL; dorsal surface dark, sharply demarcated from paler ventral surface on side of head; dorsal fins are dark with obvious darker tips; first dorsal-fin spine distinctly paler than the base of soft portion of dorsal fin; caudal fin with broad white posterior margin, caudal bar absent; flank denticles weakly tricuspid; monospondylous centra 44-46, precaudal centra 89-93, total centra 116-122 (Ref. 58440).