Diagnosis: body height 3.75-3.85 times in SL; single blackish line from posterior margin of gill cover to middle rays of caudal fin, dorsally followed by a golden line; adipose fin usually present; maxillary short, not reaching anterior margin of eye; eye relatively large; 33-34 lateral line scales, the first 6-8 with pore; 14 scales around caudal peduncle (Ref. 77044).

Description: largest body height a little anterior to dorsal fin; dorsal fin more or less in middle of body; pelvic fins inserted posteriorly to dorsal fin origin; caudal peduncle relatively short and heigh; proximal 1/3 of caudal fin with scales; lobes of caudal fin not pointed; wide fontanel reaching from middle of frontals to supraoccipital; scales ctenoid, except predorsal scales; lateral line short, with only 6-8 pored scales; 8, usually 9 transversal scales (between dorsal and pelvic fins); 12 predorsal scales; dorsal fin with 2-3 unbranched and 10-11 branched rays; 11 pterygophores, first between 6th and 7th neural spine; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 6-7 branched rays, and 8 pterygophores of which first 2 located between third and fourth haemal spines; pectoral fin with 1 unbranched and 9 branched rays; pelvic fin with 2 unbranched and 7 branched rays; 4+13 precaudal and 15 caudal vertebrae (Ref. 77044).

Coloration: alcohol preserved specimens: black longitudinal band, about the width of 1 scale, situated directly above the lateral line, starting weakly pronounced on snout going over eye and gill cover being most pronounced directly behind the gill cover, from where it continues to the middle rays of the caudal fin; no spot on shoulder or caudal fin; lateral line scales greyish, pored scales a little darker on their upper half; ventrally a clear dark line from behind pelvic to the end of anal fin base, and from end of caudal peduncle to caudal fin; posterior margin of scales dark; anterior rays of dorsal fin black (Ref. 77044). Live coloration: unpaired fins pinkish to light brown (Ref. 77044).