Diagnosis: two rows of teeth in upper jaw and 3 in lower jaw; completely pored lateral line with 63-75 lateral line scales; total of 19-24 rays in dorsal fin and 13-17 rays in anal fin; 13-16 scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line (Ref. 81638).

Description: body moderately high, depth 0.36-0.42x SL with greater proportional depth in larger specimens; prepelvic region transversely flattened; premaxilla with 2 rows of bicuspid teeth and 14-16 teeth in outer series; maxilla with 4-6 teeth along anterodorsal margin; dentary with 3 tooth rows, outer row of bicuspid teeth along margin of jaw and 2 rows internal to replacement tooth trench; approximately 15-18 teeth in outer row of dentary; adipose fin moderately developed and scaled basally; body scales ctenoid and relatively small; 13-16 scales between dorsal fin origin and lateral line (excluding median scales); 10-11 scales between anal fin origin and lateral line (excluding median scales); D: IV-V,15-19, A: III-IV,10-13; 10, rarely 11, pelvic rays with lateral ray unbranched (Ref. 81638).

Coloration: preserved specimens yellowish to yellow-brown; body with series of dark, vertical, dorsally posteriorly concave bars; bars extend ventrally to approximately lateral line in small to moderate-sized individuals and to level of horizontal through pectoral fin insertion in some larger specimens; dorsal portions of body dark, particularly along predorsal region; dorsal portions of head dark; distinct dark patch on opercle, prominent anteriorly rounded, dark spot on lateral surface of caudal peduncle; posterior border of spot ranges from approximately straight to posteriorly convex; some populations with dark, scale-sized spots on lateral surface of body; contiguous spots sometimes coalesce into larger marks; median fins, particularly dorsal fin, with rays lined with small dark chromatophores and with membranes dusky (Ref. 81638).