Can be diagnosed from its congeners in Europe by the possession of the following characters: scales between anus and anal origin 4-5; breast naked between pectorals; scales on lateral line 36-39 + 2-3; eye diameter 1.1-1.5 times in interorbital distance; snout length 40-45% HL; interorbital area markedly concave in individuals larger than about 7 cm SL; 7-10 midlateral blotches, irregularly set and shaped; back with several irregularly-set black blotches, slightly smaller than blotches of midlateral row; dorsal rays with a row of black subdistal spots (Ref. 59043).