Thie species is distinguished by the following set of characters: pectoral-fin rays 17-20 (mode 18), some rays branched in specimens over ca. 40 mm SL; dorsal-fin soft rays 7-9 (8); scale rows in longitudinal series 40-46 (43); underside of lower jaw scaleless; gill rakers 11-15 (13); with nasal spine; lateral lacrimal spine is usually present; suborbital spines 2, first spine below eye, second spine at end of suborbital ridge; no interorbital and coronal spines; opercle with a large dark blotch; no dark blotch on subopercle or spinous portion of dorsal fin (Ref. 106975).