This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: great body depth (28-29% SL; vs. the usual 27% SL); longer head length 30-31% SL (vs. usual 28%),: head profile oblique, about 130 degree angle (vs. usual 95-130 degrees); head depth 26-27% SL (vs. usual 26% SL); eyes high on head, interorbital width 31-34% HL; small orbital diameter 24–25% HL, only B. sawakinensis and B. albus with small orbital diameters, 23-24% HL) long predorsal length 35% SL (vs. usual 30-32% SL, rarely 33-34% SL), deep body 28-29% SL (vs. usual 24-27%, rarely, only in B. japonicus and B. semifasciatus, 28-29% SL); wide body 14-15% SL (vs. usual 11-13% SL); number of first arch gill rakers low 18 + 1 rudimentary (vs. most other species 18-24, modally 19-22) (Ref. 89848).