This species is distinguished by the following characters: pectoral rays 15; upper jaw with numerous teeth (21-26); less lateral scale series (14-29) and zigzag series (11-14); second dorsal fin in females long; caudal peduncle short; head blackish, dorsally with blackish band extending from the tip of snout and upper lip, under the eye to the posterior edge of operculum and pectoral base; blackish band extends from the back of the eye to the dorsal part of pectoral fin base and to caudal fin along midline (Ref. 85524).