Description: Dorsal fin XII (rarely XIII),13-15 (usually 14), with deep notch between spinous and ray portions; anal fin II,15-17; pectoral rays 12-14 (usually 13); pelvic fin I, 3; caudal-fin segmented rays 13. Body depth 4.9-5.4 in SL at anal-fin origin. Vertebrae 10 + 21-23 (usually 22); incisors and anterior canine teeth look very similar, 41-49; posterior canines 1 on each side, sometimes absent. Lateral line without pores, ends below dorsal spine 9-10. Anterior nostril with cirrus present only on posterior rim. Overall pale grey or dusky brown, ventral paler, with dorsal and ventral dark stripes narrowly spaced. Eyes with narrow yellow ring around the pupil and yellow streaks on iris. Interorbital region with bilaterally paired spots and sometimes a median spot. Dark stripe from eyes to posterior edge of operculum continuous with the ventral dark stripe on body. Dorsal-fin ray portion with suprabasal stripe, fine and dusky; anal fin dusky but pale distally in some mature males; caudal fin dusky with basal half-moon mark (Ref. 5296, 90102).