Can be diagnosed by, among other characters, having the following characters: color pattern consisting dark brown triangular Tern saddles in the lower half of the body, strongly slanted anteriorly and becoming almost vertical posteriorly, becoming paler in the middle, and forming pairs of narrow saddles in large individuals; lateral line complete; and dorsa fin with 12 ½ or 13 ½ branched rays (Ref. 90177).