Description: (based on 54 specimens): Adult height: 8.0-15.0cm. Rings: 11+40-41 (38-43). Snout length: 2.2 (1.9-2.4) in head length. Dorsal fin rays: 20 (18-22) covering 2+1 rings. Pectoral fin rays: 17-18 (16-19). Coronet: very low, in line with arch of neck, visible as five tiny points. Spines: low and small to slightly raised. Other distinctive characters: very sharp hook-like cheek and eye spines; quite flat in appearance; narrow head; no nose spine.

Color pattern: golden orange, sandy colored or totally black; may have large dark spots on the dorsolateral surface of the first, fourth and seventh trunk ring (less visible in dark specimens, and more common in males than females); some specimens ‘zebra striped’ in brown and white.