This species is distinguished by the following characteristics: possess a horizontally directed row of modified flattened, ellipsoid in cross section, teeth on the praemaxillare, well developed teeth on the palatinum, and more than 1 row of 'normally developed' teeth on the praemaxillaria and dentalia (near symphysis); relatively large scales on the body, approximately 110 scales in longitudinal row above the lateral line (predorsal 60); gill membrane with 7 rays; first gill slit limited above by a skin fold; epibranchiale of first gill arch with one external gill raker, the inner row of gill rakers at the first gill arch are incomplete (4 at its vertical branch, 4 at horizontal branch, and no angular rakers); vertebrae 21 + 32 = 53; pyloric caeca 5; no cariniform skin fold before dorsal fin insertion; large head, approximately 1/3 of SL; snout length almost equal to orbit diameter; interorbital space relatively narrow (smaller than snout length); upper jaw moderately short, extending slightly behind the vertical of the anterior orbit margin (Ref. 84725).