Characterized by translucent body with 12 dark saddles on nape and back; presence of internal dark stripe dorsal to vertebral column; side of body with series of large dark blotches midlaterally and ventrally; dark bar below eye; opercle with dark blotch; dark band on lower pectoral fin base; caudal fin base with two large dark spots; dorsal rays VI+I,10; anal rays I,8-9; pectoral rays 14-16; pelvic rays I,5; pelvic frenum absent; no scales on head and body except on caudal peduncle and small patch behind base of pectoral fin; longitudinal scales on caudal peduncle 5-8; circumpeduncular scales 8-9; depth at origin of pelvic fin 6.7-7.3 in SL; gill opening extending forward to level of middle of opercle; filamentous first dorsal spine in male, 2.3-2.9 in SL; longest dorsal spine in female, second to fourth,9.2-9.7 in SL; longest soft dorsal fin rays 12.3-16.4 % SL; longest soft anal fin rays 11.6-13.5 % SL; caudal fin often shorter than head, 3.8-4.6 in SL, slightly emarginate; gill rakers 2+8(2+7-9); vertebrae 28 (Ref. 90102).