This species is distinguished by the following characters: a 1-3-2 ID pattern, caudal-fin rays 12, black peritoneum, blind side of head and body with combination of dark, purplish coloration and pepperdot pattern of dark melanophores; further differs from all congeners by the number of abdominal vertebrae; 9(6+3), total vertebrae 51-54; hypurals 5, or less frequently 4, D 95-102, A 80-86, scales in longitudinal series approximately 77-86, no pupillary operculum, eyes contiguous or nearly contiguous, teeth on entire margin of ocular-side jaws, no fleshy ridge on ocular side lower jaw, and no scales on blind sides of dorsal- and anal-fin rays (Ref. 75960).