Diagnosis: 27-30 gill-rakers on lower limb (Ref. 55898).

Description: relatively small species; body shape normal; snout pointed; mouth relatively large; gape inclined at about 20° to horizontal; maxilla extending well beyond vertical at anterior margin of eye; outer oral dentition tricuspid or shouldered unicuspid; inner oral teeth only slightly smaller than outer oral teeth, unicuspid; 2-3 series of scales on cheek; eyes large; upper margin of eye touching dorsal head profile; lower pharyngeal jaw slender with small teeth; gill-rakers very long and slender; mature males with long and filamentous posterior rays of dorsal and anal fin (Ref. 55898).

Coloration: Preserved: Females and juvenile males: body pale brownish yellow; 5 vertical bars below dorsal fin; dorsal fin with broad grey band, white submarginal band and darker lappets; several broad grey vertical bands on soft dorsal; all other fins pale (Ref. 55898). Mature males: vertical bars darker; dark to black nape, snout and chin; dorsal fin with broad dark grey basis, merged with broad grey vertical bars on its posterior part; dorsal fin with white submarginal band and black lappets and tips; some specimens show faint vertical barring in caudal fin; leading edge of anal and ventral fins dark (Ref. 55898).