This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: dorsal and anal fins have two unbranched rays; pseudobranchial filaments 17-24 (modally 19); branched pectoral-fin rays 12-14 (13); gill rakers 37-42 (41) on first gill arch, 16-19 (18) in upper series, 21-23 (22) in lower series; gill rakers 31-35 (32) on second gill arch, 12-14 (13) in upper and 19-21 (19) in lower series; gill rakers 18-23 (21) on third gill arch, 9-11 (11) in upper and 9-12 (11) in lower series; gill rakers 16-20 (19) on fourth gill arch, 7-10 (9) in upper and 8-10 (9) in lower series; gill rakers 4-7 (6) on hind face of third gill arch; abdomen with 4-6 (5) spine-like scutes; transverse scales 8 or 9 (9); exposed urohyal bone, no fleshy nobs; head and jaws relatively long, head length 25.2-27.0% (mean 26.1%) of SL, upper jaw length 18.4-20.0% (19.2%) of SL, lower jaw length 16.4-18.1% (17.3%) of SL; anal-fin base is relatively short, 12.9-14.8% (13.9%) of SL; first unbranched dorsal- and anal-fin rays are relatively long, length 4.4-6.5% (5.5%) and 2.7-3.8% (3.4%) of SL, respectively; the distance between dorsal-fin origin and upper end of pectoral-fin insertion is 105.1-121.8% (115.4%) of HL (Ref. 123087).