This species is distinguished by the following characters: D X,16; A III,7; pectoral rays 17-18; lateral-line scales 47; gill rakers 11+ 25; moderately deep body, depth 2.4 in SL; papillae on posterior edge of orbit absent; fleshy protuberance at front of upper lip in males absent; vomerine teeth in a small triangular patch; third dorsal spine moderately elongate in males, 1.8 in HL; forked or lunate caudal fin, caudal concavity 1.4 in HL; in life, color of males mainly lavender pink with scattered orange flecks, grading to orange on head and anterodorsal part of body; a broad, tapering orange bar below middle of spinous dorsal fin, reaching to lower side; lavender-pink margined yellow band from snout tip to lower eye, continuing from lower rear corner of eye to pectoral-fin base; spinous dorsal fin lavender pink on basal half with broad yellow outer margin; soft dorsal fin mainly reddish orange, grading to yellow distally with narrow lavender-pink margin; anal fin mainly yellow with lavender pink anterior margin; caudal fin overall reddish orange with lavender submarginal band near tips of upper and lower lobes, the tips yellow-orange; pelvic fin yellow on anterior half and whitish posteriorly, with narrow lavender-pink anterior margin; pectoral fins translucent to slightly yellowish (Ref. 74962).