This species is distinguished by the following combination of characters: when alive/fresh, eyes with shiny white iris; head moderately long and relatively narrow, its length 23.8% LT, interorbital space 6.4% LT; snout moderately elongate, preoral length is 10.0% LT and preorbital length 10.9% LT; mouth wide, its width 9.5% LT; pelvic–anal space 5.9% LT; anal fin is large, base length 15.2% LT, posterior margin 11.5% LT; prepectoral length is relatively long, about 21.1% LT; labial furrows long, not confined to mouth corners, uppers are longer than lowers (3.8 vs. 2.4% LT); enlarged denticles absent on upper or lower caudal fin; duodenum of intestine moderately sized, intestinal spiral valves 15; monospondylous centra 35; precaudal-diplospondylous vertebrae 33; precaudal centra 68; females mature by 46.7 cm LT; egg case small (5.04-6/06 cm long), with 5-7 strong T-shaped ridges on dorsal and ventral surfaces (Ref. 128660).