Diagnosis: 46-50 lateral line scales, pored except for 1-2 terminal scales; 7-9 branched anal fin rays; tip of pelvic fin falling short of, or barely extending to rear of, vent; dorsal portions of body with distinct dark, vertically oriented dark marks that form saddle-shaped pigmentation pattern; dark pigmentation on body extending distinctly below horizontal through base of pectoral fin in form of relatively narrow, vertical bars; adipose fin unpigmented (Ref. 81638).

Description: body depth 0.16-0.19 SL, ventrally somewhat flattened along underside of head and chest; mouth barely subterminal; anterior head profile approximately equal dorsally and ventrally or slightly more pronounced dorsally; mouth barely subterminal, premaxilla with 5 teeth; maxilla edentulous; dentary with 5, rarely 4, teeth; lower jaw moderate, with width posteriorly equal to approximately one-half orbital height in larger specimens; middle pelvic rays in many larger specimens somewhat longer than adjoining rays; body scales ctenoid and of moderate size; 4-5 scales below lateral line to anal fin origin; D: II-III,10-12; A: II-III,7-9 (Ref. 81638).

Coloration: ground color tan, snout and dorsal portion of head variably dusky in preserved specimens; scattered pigmentation on dorsal portion of opercle; scales of dorsal portion of body outlined with dark chromatophores, more so in larger individuals; dorsal portion of body with 11-13 dark, saddle-shaped marks; lateral surface of body with 14-16 vertical bars of irregular form that extend slightly ventral of horizontal through base of insertions of pectoral fin along most of body, but reach to ventral mid-line in region posterior of origin of anal fin; dorsally positioned, dark, saddle-shaped marks sometimes contiguous with dark vertical bars (Ref. 81638). Details on fin coloration can be found in Ref. 81638.