Distinguished from its congeners in having a pelvic fraenum and branched dorsal-fin rays (Ref. 9018); characterized by reddish to mauve with dark scale margins forming network on side of body; head and upper back below dorsal fin with series of dark-edged pale grey to whitish bars; pair of bars found anterior to pectoral fin forming inverted "Y"; sometimes with yellow head; longitudinal scale series 23-26; ctenoid body scales to level of base of pectoral fin; predorsal, cheek, opercle, prepelvic area and base of pectoral fin without scales; absence of vertical rows of papillae on cheek; depth of body 3.0-3.7 in SL (Ref. 90102).