Diagnosis: 15-20 gill rakers on first gill arch; no large spots on flanks; 4-6 bands or 2 rows of dark blotches and short horizontal lines usually visible when stressed; body depth 29.5-40.6%, mean 34.1% SL; lachrymal depth greater than 21% HL; base body colouration grey-brown; caudal fin rounded in both sexes; males and females of similar size (Ref. 81260).

Description: relatively robust (body depth 29.5-40.6%, mean 34.1% SL); snout medium length (25.2-40.7%, mean 34.3% HL); relatively deep preorbital (21.1-26.8%, mean 23.6% HL); caudal peduncle normally deeper than long, very occasionally slightly longer than deep; 8-11 (median 10) tuberculate hypobranchial and ceratobranchial rakers, 5-8 (median 7) lanceolate epibranchial rakers; some dorsal and anal fin rays produced; caudal rounded to slightly subtruncate in both sexes; 1-2 rows of scales between 8th pored scale of upper lateral line and dorsal fin base (Ref. 81260).

Coloration: base body coloration greyish brown, paler ventrally (Ref. 81260). Body scales in males with dark margination (Ref. 52307, 81260). Cheek and opercle with a bluish green iridescent flush; soft dorsal, anal and caudal fins in males with small violet maculae, which are not present in females; most of dorsal and often also upper parts of caudal fin in females with a blue-silvery coloration, reduced to a small silvery-white submarginal band in males; soft dorsal and caudal fins in males dark red, in females light blue or light red; anal bluish to violet in both sexes; dorsal fin and upper part of caudal with red margin in both sexes (Ref. 81260). Sometimes 2 rows of interrupted horizontal black stripes on flanks (Ref. 52307, 81260).