This species is distinguished by the following characters: bluish body, green on dorsum, with silvery flanks; presence of 2 fleshy outgrowths on posterior margin of opercle; deep body cylindrical, belly smooth and round, weakly keeled with eight circular-shaped pre-pelvic scutes; 7 branchiostegial rays; 7-14 fronto-parietalstriae; eyes huge; median notch on upper jaw; dorsal fin is inserted at about midpoint of body; pelvic fins are below dorsal fin base, fin rays 7; anal fin is very short and inserted far posterior to dorsal fin base; gill rakers 57-63; cycloid scales; posterior margin of the scales striated with many vertical lines from anterior of scale extending to centre of scale (Ref. 116583).