This species is distinguished by the following characters: precaudal vertebrae 16; first gill arch with long gill rakers 18-20; HL:HD 1.52-1.59; moderately strong head spines: on ethmoidal, prefrontal, interorbital, supraorbital, sphenotic, supratemporal, inner and outer

posttemporal, while weak along inner preopercular rim, on lacrimal with ridge, and absent on outer preopercular rim and 5th infraorbital; opercular spine sharp and extruding; maxilla no scales; small opercular flap; lower lateral line pores until beginning of anal fin 18; vomer with narrow dentition patch, few teeth; palatines with moderately broad dentition patch (3-4 rows of teeth); otolith with single colliculum; OL:OH = 1.44; OL:TCL = 2.37 (Ref. 125143).