Distinguished by the following characteristics: brownish or dark grey body color of adults with irregular pale blotches and spots and prominent maxillary streak (capable of reversing body color pattern when under stress); juveniles mottled greenish brown, with prominent white spots on head and body, median fins with white streaks and hyaline golden pectoral fins; oblong and compressed body, depth 3.0-3.3 times in SL; head length 2.6-2.9 times in SL; convex interorbital area; enlarged serrae of preopercle at the angle, forming rounded lobe below shallow indentation on vertical limb; few small serrae on subopercle and interopercle; subequal sizes of anterior and posterior nostrils in juveniles, adults with 3 times larger posterior nostrils compared to anterior ones; lower jaws extends well in front of upper jaw (Ref. 89707).