This species is distinguished by the following characters: a shallow concave bony interorbital about half pupil-diameter in width; predorsal is completely covered with ctenoid scales, no naked patches, a large scale above and between the end of the eyes above the posterior half of the pupil; cheek no scales; operculum often with a single large ctenoid scale dorsally, often followed by a smaller cycloid scale posteriorly; pectoral-fin base with 3 large vertically elongate cycloid scales; prepelvic area has 4-5 rows of cycloid scales, 1 enlarged scale between the bases of the pelvic spines; pectoral rays normally unbranched, rarely with up to 4 rays with a single branch; fifth pelvic-fin ray branched once dichotomously, rarely branched twice resulting in 3 terminal tips, 40-65% the length of the fourth; no trough or groove posterodorsal to the eye; second and third dorsal spines subequal in length, not elongated; colour of head bluish grey, cheek uniform in colour, in life a yellowish orange spot about the size of the pupil on the middle of the anterior part of the operculum, a similar sized spot dorsally and posteriorly on the operculum, a smaller yellowish orange spot behind eye; central on the pectoral base is an oval yellowish orange to reddish orange spot; body with moderate sized yellowish orange spots in 4 rows anteriorly converging to 3 on the caudal peduncle; body is fully scaled; without nape crest; dorsal and anal rays usually I,8 (Ref. 100726).