This moderately deep-bodied species is distinguished by the following characters: convex dorsal head profile; A II + 7; pectoral-fin rays 14-16 rays with pectoral length 24-28.5% SL; gill rakers 16-20; pseudobranchial filaments broad 15-25, increasing with size; first anal-fin pterygiophore is long, straight and slender, with narrow, hollow tip; vomer broad, triangular, rounded posteriorly, and with many granular teeth; palatine and ectopterygoid with 2-4 rows of granular teeth; tongue with long central band of densely packed granular teeth; orbital diameter 11.7-13.3% SL; absence of longitudinal ridges on preopercular lobe; otolith compact (OL:OH = 1.6-1.7) (Ref. 116586).