Head and breast bluish gray, body yellowish or white. Head with irregular, oblique dark lines merging with many closely packed spots on body; region of mouth plus the lips white. Caudal fin red to orange, with a black sub terminal band; soft dorsal and anal fins clear to yellowish. Pelvic rudiment large narrowly attached to blackish posterior margin of ventral flap. Scale spinulation on midbody somewhat longer, finer and more acute than other species; each scale with high transverse ridge; male scale ridge rugosities develop at about 75 mm SL.