This species is distinguished from its southwestern Atlantic congeners by the following set of characters: D XX,11-12 (rarely XXI,10); A II,19-21; pectoral rays 14; length of third pelvic ray contained 2.5 to 3.0 times in second pelvic-fin ray; lateral-line scales 51-53; total nuchal cirri 12-16; presence of pre-dorsal scales and pre-pectoral scales, when present are considerably smaller than scales on body; breast usually fully scaled on males, often naked on females; one pore, rarely absent, extend from preopercular canal onto opercle. Colouration: body with 5-6 saddle-like bars that do not extend on dorsal fin; two thin white bands on upper lip usually extending to snout (Ref. 123106).