Mostly black with fine pale spotting or white saddles over top of head and back; sometimes yellow (Ref. 30404); further characterized by variable coloration ranging from yellow, entirely blackish, or barred or mottled; dorsal fins unmarked; barred variety with four brown saddles, head with white or bluish streaks, plain dorsal fins, pelvic fins with blue spots, blue stripe on anal fin; saddled variety dark brown color with whitish saddles on top of head and along back; head with small white or blue spots or streaks, pelvic fins with blue spots, blue stripes on anal fins; mottled variety with four diffuse brown bars on side; lower operculum with large brown blotch, head with white to bluish spots, strong mottling on back, anal fin with blue stripes; united pelvic fins, presence of frenum; longitudinal scale series 77-92; absence of scales on head except a few scales dorsally on opercle; greatest depth of body 5.5-5.8 in SL; rounded caudal fin, 3.2-3.8 in SL (Ref. 90102).