Diagnosis: 3 lateral spots on the body; supra-pectoral spot about 1.5 times the supra-anal spot; supra-pectoral spot separate from upper lateral line; supra-anal spot smaller than 2 scales; males in breeding coloration with blue breast, narrow yellow marginal band in anal fin and without spots or streaks in the anal fin (Ref. 57549).

Description: dorsal snout profile straight; gape inclination of mouth about 40° to horizontal; jaws isognathous; teeth on dentary and premaxilla in 3-4 rows, outer row teeth unicuspid and somewhat enlarged in mature males (> 80 mm SL) and bicuspid in females and immature males; lower pharyngeal jaw small, dentigerous area notched posteriorly, with bicuspid teeth, all small or with few median teeth slightly enlarged; gill-rakers on ceratobranchial short and slender; 3-4 teeth rows in upper and lower jaw; 2-3 scale rows on cheek; 1-2 pored scales posterior to lateral line (Ref. 57549).

Coloration: breeding males: head blue with green highlights; interorbital blue with light-blue highlights; blue opercle; throat gray with blue highlights; lateral portion of body dark blue ground color dorsally, fading to blue/gray ventrally, with 8 dark gray bars; breast and belly greenish blue with dark-gray markings; dorsal fin dark blue with green and light-blue highlights and a white marginal band with yellow/white lappets; caudal fin with blue rays and blue/green membranes, distal 1/4 dark gray; anal fin blue to green/blue with very narrow marginal orange/yellow band; pectoral fin with gray rays and clear membranes; pelvic fin with blue/green rays and blue/gray membranes (Ref. 57549). Females: head gray dorsally, fading to white ventrally; blue and silver highlights on cheek; throat white; lateral portion of body gray/blue ground color with anterior portion of scale outlined in orange/yellow; 3 distinct black spots on lateral portion of body; supra-pectoral spot below 10-12th scale not in contact with upper lateral line and about 1.5 times size of supra-anal spot; supra-anal spot at 23-25th scale above and in contact with lower lateral line and covering less than 2 scales; caudal spot same diameter as supra-anal spot on caudal base; 8 gray bars and white belly with gray highlights; 3 vertical bars between supra-pectoral spot and dorsal fin origin; dorsal fin clear with pale orange/gray vermiculations in rayed portion and orange lappets; caudal fin with clear rays and orange/gray membranes; anal fin clear with scattered micromelanophores, 6-8 pale orange ocelli and orange lappets between rays; pectoral fin clear; pelvic fin clear with light-gray membrane between first and second ray (Ref. 57549).