This species is distinguished by the following characters: body color in life red dorsally, white ventrally, 9 brown bars on upper third body, darkest on edges, especially ventrally; ventral 2/3 with orange-red bars aligned with the dorsal dark bars; head light red with a large curved red band extending ventrally from eye; snout with a dark orangish band along edge of upper lip; fins without dark markings except for a dark spot at base of soft rays of the dorsal fin; D V,21; A I,17; pectoral rays 16-18 (nearly all with 17); lower jaw projecting, 3 pairs of canine teeth anteriorly in lower jaw; palatine teeth absent; vomer with a row of stout conical teeth, followed by another row of very small teeth; ctenoid scales on body, becoming cycloid on nape, ventrally on abdomen, and prepelvic area; cheek with cycloid scales, small, progressively smaller and a few nonimbricate ventrally; preopercle margin no distinct sharp serrae; greatest body depth 4.7-5.1 in SL; head length (HL) 3.2-3.3 in SL; snout length 3.0-3.2 in HL; orbit diameter 3.7-4.05 in HL; interorbital width 6.25-7.35 in HL; fourth dorsal spine is the longest, 3.85-4.5 in HL; caudal fin slightly rounded with no distinct posterior prolongation centered on third branched ray; pectoral fins 3.85-4.50 in SL; pelvic fins reaching origin of anal fin, 4.35-4.85 in SL (Ref. 79876).