This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: deep body, 2.03-2.38 (mean 2.21); D XI,11 or XII,10; scale rows between fifth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 4 1/2, scale rows above lateral line 4 1/2-5 1/2, scale rows below 12 1/2-13 1/2; second anal-fin spine [17.5-24.2% (mean 20·5%) of SL], 1.31-1.52 (mean 1.39) in 2AS/3AS; pored lateral-line scales 42-45 (mean 43.9); first soft dorsal-fin ray slightly longer than last dorsal-fin spine; pelvic and anal fins vivid or strong yellow, lower caudal-fin lobe yellow (lighter or whitish yellow in larger adults); no black streaks proximally on inter-radial membranes between yellow anal-fin rays; clear black

blotches are usually absent just beneath inter-radial membranes between dorsal-fin rays but upper

dorsal-fin membrane often with darker margin; at the origin of lateral line a weak diffuse dark blotch usually covering first pored lateral-line scale, continuing as a dense dark shading over upper part of posterior opercle (Ref. 93743).