Head spines strong to moderate - nasal, preocular, supraocular, postocular, tympanic and parietal spines present, coronal and nuchal spines absent (Ref. 27437). Scales on lower jaw embedded; anal fin with a strong anterior slant (Ref. 27437). Caudal fin strongly indented (Ref. 6885). Bright yellow to orange mottled on a gray background; 3 orange stripes across head; fins orange; specimens less than 35.56 cm with dark markings on posterior part of spinous dorsal; gray along lateral line (Ref. 27437).