Diagnosis: lachrymal plus four tubular infraorbitals, no gap between third and fourth tubular infraorbital (Ref. 81260).

Description: relatively gracile (body depth 31.1-35.3% SL)(Ref. 81260). Head relatively long (Ref. 52307), its length 31.4-34.7% SL (Ref. 52307). Snout prominent (Ref. 81260) and acute/pointed (Ref. 52307, 81260). Predorsal profile smoothly convex; mouth moderately large, lower jaw more or less horizontally inclined and in line with flattened ventral body wall; caudal peduncle length variable, usually deeper than long but occasionally slightly longer than deep; upper branch of lateral line high on body, separated from dorsal base at highest point (8-9th pored scale) by 1-1.5 scale rows; 9-10 (rarely 8) tuberculate rakers on lower limb of first gill arch, 4-6 lanceolate epibranchial rakers (Ref. 81260). Caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307, 81260) to slightly truncate (Ref. 52307) in both sexes, upper lobe in males normally slightly produced (Ref. 52307, 81260).

Coloration: body gray to light brown, paler ventrally; chest and throat creamy white; cheek and opercle pale yellow, opercular spot merged with opercular band; lachrymal stripe usually present; each body scale with iridescent pale turquoise blue spot in centre and a darkly ringed margin; faint vertical striping often present, mid-lateral band extending from opercular band to caudal base usually evident; upper half of eye red; leading edge of pelvic fin white, rest of fin pale blue; soft dorsal with thin white margin and red submargin; soft dorsal, caudal and posterior parts of anal in both sexes gray with rows of pale blue maculae, more visible in males than females; remaining parts of anal pale violet (Ref. 81260).