This species is distinguished by the following characters: body relatively deeper; fewer circumpeduncular scales; gill rakers on first arch often bifid; caudal edge of urohyal sigmoid; with anterodorsad spine on first dorsal pterygiophore; dorsal-fin interradial scales in one row; peritoneum pigmented rostrally; straight-irregular posterior edge of mesethmoid; gut simple, S-shaped, folded ventrorostrally, anal and medial loops not touching; caudal blotch two-thirds on peduncle and one-third on fin; scales from lateral line to base of first dorsal fin ray modally 1.5; caudal vertebrae modally 14 (Ref. 74403).