This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep, its depth 2.6-3.1 in SL; preopercular notch and knob poorly developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension; tongue with a patch of granular teeth; gill rakers of first gill arch 6 + 8-10 = 14-16. Colour generally whitish, with a `checker-board' pattern on upper half of sides, with dark brown bars and stripes, surrounding rectangular, whitish 'windows'; horizontal brown stripes 5-6, 2 on lower half of sides; caudal fin base with large black spot. (Ref. 9821, 90102)

Description: Dorsal profile of head moderately sloped; preorbital bone usually about equal to eye diameter or slightly narrower; scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line (Ref. 9821).