This species is distinguished from its congeners in Turkey and the Aegean basin by possessing a less strongly ossified last simple dorsal-fin ray and with fewer serrae along the proximal part of its posterior margin (serrated along 49-52 % of its length, vs. 56-77; 15-17 serrae, vs. 18-32) and having fewer gill rakers on the first gill arch (6-8, modally 8, vs. 7-14, modally 9-11 in the different species). It is further distinct with the following characters (none unique to the species): a small size (largest known specimen 14.6 cm SL); a short caudal fin (15.7-20.4 % SL); large and many irregular black spots on the back, as well as on the fins and flank, and small black spots on the head, extending downwards to the cheek; fleshy lips; lateral line scales 62-71; scale rows between the lateral line and the dorsal-fin origin 13-15 and between the lateral line and the anal-fin origin 8-10; last simple dorsal-fin ray weakly ossified; body depth at dorsal-fin origin 17.2-22.4 % SL; head length 23.3-25.7 % SL (Ref. 80049).

Description: D 4 simple and 8.5 branched rays; A 3 simple and 16-18 branched rays; V 1 simple and 8 branched rays.