This species is distinguished by the following characters: presence of a deep trough in the bony interorbital region about half pupil-diameter in width; with a shallow trough behind the eye along the upper half of the posterodorsal margin of the eye; naked predorsal midline, sides of nape is scaled to just behind the eye; no scales on cheek and opercle; the pelvic fins is connected by a basal membrane reaching to the tips of fifth ray, forming an indented plate; central 4-11 pectoral rays are branched; 5-6 light stripes (orange to red in life) on head and with dark blue interspaces, the body light with distinct scattered oval or round spots (yellowish-orange, orange or reddish in life); the snout is mostly darkly pigmented without distinct stripes in preserved material, but with orange stripes in life; the upper lip largely dark, except posteriorly, usually with orange stripes from the eye obscured by dark pigment on the jaws; uniformly dark lower lip; lower surface of the head with a black curved stripe and with a median black bar connecting to the lower lip; branchiostegal membranes are predominantly light, except for the stripe and the inner margin of the membranes (Ref. 100726).