Diagnosis: tooth patches narrow; pectoral fin placed near body mid-depth; 7-8 branched caudal fin rays; adults and young marked with large spots and blotches, some up to 4-5 times an eye diameter; caudal fin usually well-spotted in adults; caudal saddle and bar pattern poorly developed in all ages (Ref. 44050).

Description: body fusiform (Ref. 57130). Head deep and cylindrical; lower jaw only slightly prominent; 16-18 abdominal and 21-24 caudal vertebrae; 19 caudal fin rays (arrangement: ii-7-8-ii) (Ref. 44050, 57130).

Coloration: dorsum tan or occasionally light grey; venter light tan; body bicolored but without sharp demarcation between dorsal and ventral shades; dorsum and flank marked with scattered spots and larger blotches, some as large as 4-5 times an eye diameter; blotching typically denser posteriad, where blotches may merge or overlap; venter usually unmarked, or with a few small spots; small spots usually present on paired fins of specimens larger than 15cm SL; caudal and anal fins well marked with small spots, plus some larger blotches on the caudal fin, in specimens of 15cm SL and larger; caudal fin bears a dusky bar with a pale basal crescent and a clear distal margin; dusky bar is narrow in juveniles and much broader in adults; pale basal crescent may be poorly developed in large adults, with the entire fin pigmented in the flank ground shade; caudal saddle and bar faint in juveniles, with the pale interspace matching the ground color; juveniles show a bar at the caudal fin base, and a less distinct saddle, extending ventrad to the body mid-depth; saddle has disappeared by 10cm SL, caudal bar may persist (faintly) in specimens up to 15cm SL; tiny juveniles (10-20m SL) are largely unpigmented (Ref. 44050).