This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D 32-33; A 13-14; pectoral rays usually 11, most of the middle rays are branched; total caudal-fin ray elements 32; dorsal-fin origin slightly behind the pelvic-fin origin, its predorsal length 37.3-38.0% SL; pelvic fins are long and filamentous, 37.5-40.9% SL, the first and seventh rays unbranched; colour in life is translucent pinkish with blue-margined, yellow mid-lateral stripe, about seven, there are pupil-sized red spots from opercle to caudal-fin base, a broad pinkish saddles across dorsum of head and back, a prominent black marking encompassing all or distal portion of first three dorsal-fin membranes (Ref. 118515).