Metamorphosed females distinguished by the following characteristics: presence of vomerine teeth; short frontals, lying posterior to the ethmoid region, convex dorsal margin; extremely well developed sphenotic spines; small symphysial spine on lower jaw; hyomandibula with double head; extremely well developed quadrate spine, four to nearly six times longer than articular spine; deeply notched posterior margin of opercle; short and broad subopercle, dorsal end rounded, ventral end oval in shape; well developed second pharyngobranchial; caudal fin rays without internal pigmentation; illicium longer than length of esca bulb; pterygoiphore of illicium cylindrical throughout its length, emerging on snout from between frontal bones, anterior end slightly exposed, posterior end concealed beneath skin; well developed first ray of dorsal fin; dorsal fin rays 5-6; anal fin rays 4; long and narrow pectoral fin lobe, longer than longest rays of pectoral fin; pectoral fin rays 18-19; skin without dermal spinules; darkly pigmented skin of caudal peduncle extends well past base of caudal fin (Ref. 86949).