Diagnosis: snout length 35.9-37.1 % head length; lower jaw length 36.2-38.7 % head length; premaxillary pedicel length 31.9-32.3 % head length; outer oral teeth entirely unicuspid or unequally bicuspid; 2/3 inner oral tooth rows; cheek depth 27.0-28.4 % head length; lachrymal depth 23.7-25.2 % head length; interorbital width 50.7-52.8 % head width; lower pharyngeal teeth slender to moderately enlarged; body depth 37.6-40.6 %SL (Ref. 55898).

Description: relatively heavy-built; dorsal body profile more strongly convex than ventral body profile; dorsal head profile almost straight, slightly concave between eyes; premaxillary pedicel prominent; mouth robust; jaws stout; gape inclined at about 15-20° to horizontal; maxilla extending to vertical at anterior margin of eye; outer oral teeth large and robust, unicuspid or shouldered bicuspid anteriorly; inner oral teeth slender and much smaller than outer teeth, mixed tricuspid and unicuspid; generally 3 or more inner tooth rows; 2-3 series of scales on cheek; eye relatively small; upper margin of eye not touching dorsal head profile; lower pharyngeal jaw robust; central posterior teeth enlarged but not molariform; gill-rakers on lower limb long and slender (Ref. 55898).

Coloration: Preserved: Females and immature males: body pale brownish yellow; 6-7 faint vertical bars below dorsal fin; dorsal fin pale grey with grey tips; soft dorsal with faint grey spots; caudal, anal and ventral fins pale; ventral fin with faint grey leading edge (Ref. 55898). Mature males: vertical bars dark; dorsum brownish; entire head and belly brown; dorsal fin grey with narrow black submarginal band and white tips; soft dorsal grey without spots or stripes; caudal fin grey; anal and ventral fins with black leading edge (Ref. 55898).