Distinguished from all other Atlantic species by a short upper dark longitudinal stripe, presence of few spots on flank and dorsum, and absence of a conspicuous (larger than eye) spot on the dorsum. The upper dark longitudinal stripe extends from caudal-fin dorsal margin to the vertical through dorsal-fin base. Although a horizontal line of dark spots extends anterior to the anterior portion of the horizontal dark stripe in some specimens, and sometimes even surpasses the dorsal fin base, this line of spots never forms a continuous stripe. Also distinguished by the absence of vertically oriented bars on the caudal fin and by the presence of bars on the snout (Ref. 43205).