This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: 16-17 pectoral-fin rays, middle rays branched; 4 pored lateral-line scales; 6 upper gill rakers, 14 lower gill rakers (10 and 4 on ceratobranchial and hypobranchial, respectively), 20 total gill rakers; slit behind last gill arch absent; palatine teeth absent; anterodorsal and lateral lacrimal spines present; second preopercular spine smaller than third or fourth spines; nuchal and parietal spines distinct; head length 45.2% of SL; body depth 38.1% of SL; head width 17.2% of SL; snout length 11.2% of SL; maxillary depth 7.6% of SL; postorbital length 21.2% of SL; first dorsal-fin spine length 6.8% of SL; second dorsal-fin spine length 13.6% of SL; pelvic-fin spine length 19.9% of SL; longest pelvic-fin ray 23.2% of SL; longest pectoral-fin ray 39.0% of SL; caudal-fin length 25.3% of SL; caudal peduncle length 17.2% of SL (Ref. 132491).