Snout somewhat pointed, dorsal profile of head sloping steeply. Preorbital bone relatively narrow, its width usually slightly less than eye diameter. Preopercular notch and knob poorly developed. Scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Generally red or pink when fresh; fins are red or orange. Juveniles under 10 cm SL have blackish caudal fin lobe tips, frequently also a crescentic blackish blotch in the middle of the caudal fin, sometimes also with a yellowish mid-lateral stripe extending from the rear edge of the operculum to the middle of the caudal fin.