Diagnosis: lower pharyngeal jaw slender and gracile, with a reduced dentigerous plate; gill filaments of first arch long (ca. 20% HL); 10-12 gill rakers on first arch; anterior rakers markedly reduced in size (Ref. 81260).

Description: head length 38.1-44.6% SL; lower pharyngeal jaw with unicuspid, curved anterior teeth and straight tricuspid posterior teeth; ventral keel relatively long, nearly as long as dentigerous plate; 2-4 rows of teeth in upper jaw, outer row teeth bicuspid (Ref. 81260). Head very massive; relatively deep-bodied; frontal profile steep; both sexes may develop a small hump on head (Ref. 52307).

Coloration: in life: silvery grey-brown, darker dorsally (Ref. 81260) when not spawning (Ref. 52307). Snout and dorsum of head dark brownish black; lower lip, chin and belly pale creamy-brown; opercle reddish bronze, and reddish tinge to fleshy pectoral base; well marked opercular spot (Ref. 81260). Dorsal fin uniform dusky, grey-brown; caudal fin blackish brown with dusky green posterior margin; anal fin dusky grey-black (Ref. 52307, 81260). Pelvics and pectoral fins transparent (Ref. 81260). Exhibits a bright yellow to bronze coloration, with lower lip silvery-white, when breeding or dominant (Ref. 52307).