Distinguished from its congeners in having a strong dark bar on the body, beginning just anterior to the origin of the first dorsal fin and passing ventrally just behind the base of the pectoral fin; about equal in width to the eye diameter. It has a dark anteroventrally-directed wedge-shaped bar from the eye to the jaws; a similar, but better developed postero-ventrally-directed bar from the eye to the vicinity of the vertical limb of the preopercle; a small dark blotch spot or bar on the anteroventral margin of the opercle. There is a black blotch at the middle length of the upper pectoral fin rays (Ref. 55341).

Description: Segmented rays of dorsal and anal fins are branched. Scales anterior of head and body large and cycloid, becoming ctenoid posteriorly below middle of first or anterior part of second dorsal fin, last row of scales cycloid or ctenoid (Ref. 55341).