This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D 11 or 12 (rarely 11); A 11; total caudal rays 41-42; dorsal segmented caudal rays 9 and ventral segmented caudal rays 10; dorsal procurrent caudal rays 12, ventral 10-11; pelvic fin rays 8; pectoral-fin rays 11 or 12; total vertebrae 47-49, modally 49; predorsal vertebrae 12 or 13; pored lateral-line scales 45-48; median predorsal scales 12 or 13; scale rows on cheek 4-6; large eye, 4.5-6.9% SL (16.7-24.7% head length); anterior nostril flap long, when depressed, tapering distally and extending over posterior nostril, length of flap 2.7-4.9% HL; snout blunt in dorsal view; pelvic-fin length 21.6-25.2% SL; colouration - caudal fin with dark pigment on anterior end of fork and posterior part of ventral caudal lobe, dorsal caudal lobe pale with light pigment on posterior margin, the shoulder with large, ovoid, black scapular blotch, length 14.2-19.0% HL, there are 6-9 dark bars on trunk, when alive the adults are gray to olive with unevenly distributed orange-yellow stripes along body (Ref. 93218).