Distinguished by the following characteristics: slender with compressed head and body; greatly enlarged jaws in adult males with lips distinctively broadened anteriorly and narrowed below eye; body with scale margins outlined forming reticulate pattern; dark band along mid-side of body; head with 4-6 curved oblique dark bands crossing cheek and small dark mark behind upper rear part of eye; variably sized black blotch on posterior part of first dorsal fin; second dorsal rays I,6-8; anal rays I,6-7; pectoral rays 15-18; longitudinal scales 22-25; TRB 7-8 1/2; predorsal scales 6-9 (Ref. 84480).