Diagnosis: moderately sized species with an elongate and laterally compressed body; dorsal with 9 (10?) spines in 1st part, second part with 1 spine and 35-39 soft fin rays; second anal spine clearly shorter than first anal fin soft ray, i.e. about half its length, and robust; pectoral fins long, 23.3-27.3% SL; caudal fin S-shaped; mouth inferior almost horizontal; maxilla extending to posterior half of eye; 7-9/1/4-7 (total 13-18) gill rakers on 1st gill arch; lower part of 1st gill arch with 2-6 reduced additional gill rakers, upper part with 0-2 reduced additional ones; gill rakers moderately long and fine, but shorter than the gill filament at angle between lower and upper part of gill arch; preopercular edge feebly denticulated but never with spines; eyes rather small, 4.6-5.4 times in HL, but this character is difficult to use for identification because of allometry (Ref. 81656).

Coloration: generally very dark, but occasionally pale silver often with faint dark brown oblique lines on sides; ventral side of head and belly yellowish; all fins greyish to very dark brown, black (Ref. 81656).