This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following characters: a unique

pigmentation pattern, with four large, rounded, orangish-olive saddles dorsally on its flank, each with a large distinct dorsomedial white spot completely enclosed within the saddles, resembling wheels; a much smaller fifth saddle on the caudal peduncle with only a small white dorsomedial spot; below the lateral midline there are 10 discrete broad, dark orangish-olive oval vertical bars; the soft dorsal fin with a single row of dark spots; the caudal fin is lined dorsally and ventrally with stripes of yellowish-olive pigmentation extending the length of the fin; caudal-fin base with two prominent dark brown to black spots (Ref. 129142).