This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: maxilla moderate, its posterior tip slightly beyond posterior margin of opercle, but not reaching pectoral-fin insertion; teeth on both jaws small, not caniniform; first supramaxilla small, oval (sometimes absent); tip of snout above level of eye center; paired dark lines along dorsum from occipital area to caudal-fin base at least in preserved specimens; distinct black blotch behind upper part of gill opening; absence of saddle-like blotch on nape; anal fin with 4 (rarely 3) unbranched and 36-40 (modally 37; rarely 34 or 35) branched rays; transverse scales 11 or 12 (modally 11); scale rows in longitudinal series usually 39-41 (modally 40; rarely 38 or 42); 1UGR 9-11 (modally 10), 1LGR 13-16 (modally 15), 1TGR 23-26 (modally 24; rarely 22); 2UGR 8-10 (modally 9), 2LGR 14-16 (modally 15), 2TGR 22-26 (modally 24); 3UGR 6-8 (modally 7), 3LGR 8-10 (modally 9), 3TGR 15-18 (modally 16); 4UGR 5-9 (modally 7), 4LGR 8-10 (modally 9), 4TGR 13-17 (modally 16); gill rakers 2-6 (modally 4) on posterior face of third gill arch; abdomen covered with 16-20 (modally 17) + 9-11 (modally 10; rarely 12) = 26-30 (modally 28) keeled scutes; vertebrae mostly 45 (rarely 44 or 46); melanophores scattered on pectoral-fin rays of most individuals >110 mm SL; pelvic fin short, 7.4-8.7% (mean 8.0%) of SL; pre-dorsal-fin length short, 51.0-53.6% (52.3%) of SL; body elongate, depth 26.1-30.0% (27.7%) of SL; and anal-fin base long, 32.5-36.2% (34.2%) of SL (Ref. 138125).