Greyish brown to yellowish brown with about 12 vertical dark brown bars; lips whitish; male adults with orange peduncle spines; soft dorsal, anal and pectoral fins pale yellowish; caudal fin orange with dusky rays (Ref. 4421). Sexually dimorphic with males having longer and deeper orange peduncular spines and deeper orange tail and eyes (Ref. 37816).

Description: Characterized by having first dorsal spine about equal to snout length, above front half of eye and partially fitting into groove on back; side of caudal fin with two pairs of anteriorly directed spines, larger in male; straight dorsal profile of snout; rounded caudal fin; depth of body at origin of anal fin 2.2-2.4 in SL (Ref. 90102).