This species is distinguished by the following characters: head 5.1-6.1 % TL, 13.3-16.0 % of preanal length; tail 60.4-62.0 % TL; body depth at gill opening 0.9-1.5 % TL, 2.3-3.8 % of preanal length; the anterior tip of the lower jaw is below the center of the eye; supratemporal pores 7; preopercular pores 4; lateral-line pores before anus 54-58; preanal vertebrae 52-56, total 137-141; MVF 54-139 (Ref. 95408); teeth conical and uniserial on jaws and vomer (with a single vomerine tooth); body coloration is yellowish brown to dark brown with small black punctuations, pale brown blotches on head and breast; with fresh specimens have reddish brown blotches, slightly paler along mid-flanks, brilliant orange blotches on head and breast, some larger than eye (Ref. 101270).