Body massive, with hump in front of dorsal-fin origin and swollen cheeks; anterior nostril pierced on front side of a flap; processus dentiformis present; no median notch in upper lip, lower lip with a median incision; lateral line complete; anus about 1-2 eye diameters in front of anal-fin origin; 8.5 branched dorsal-fin rays; 5.5 branched anal-fin rays; caudal fin emarginate, with 9+8 branched rays; axillary pelvic lobe present; top of head vermiculated, cheeks dotted; body yellowish brown with 6-12 bars, very contrasted, usually narrower than interspaces, irregularly shaped and set, often branched, fused or incomplete, in posterior part of body several bars restricted to ventral half; black bar at caudal-fin base almost complete, usually not reaching dorsal and ventral midlines; dorsal-fin base with one or two low blotches (Ref. 36949).