This species is distinguished from C. meridionalis by having fewer dorsal-fin rays (32-36 vs. 35-39); distal half of gill rakers with several short bristles, occasionally a small bristle at the tip (vs. several long bristles on distal half of raker and 1-2 long bristles extending from the tip of each raker); and morphology of dorsal pharyngeal papillae (low folds vs. fleshy tabs and small papillae); differs from C. fasciatus by having greater number of smaller teeth and vertebral count ajd the absence of a fingerlike papilla inside the opercle (sometimes absent in C. fasciatus); differs from C. digitus by the absence of a series of fingerlike papillae inside the opercle, having a short conical pharyngeal teeth (vs. elongate pharyngeal teeth), and fewer gill rakers (18-22 vs. 22-26) (Ref. 94277).