Diagnosis: inner dentary teeth multicuspid; 14-17 anal fin branched rays; dorsal fin apical tip black; scales of flank without melanophores concentrated along basal margin, pigment diffuse or absent (Ref. 80290).

Description: body moderately slender; body depth 30-33% and head length 24-29% of SL (Ref. 80290). Body height 3-3.5x and head length 3.6-4.2x in SL (Ref. 42032). Mouth terminal, upper lip prominent, depth of lower jaw about 1.5 that of upper jaw (Ref. 80290). Lower jaw projects (Ref. 4967). Premaxilla with 3 teeth in outer row each bearing 7-12 cusps; dentary with 4 teeth in outer row each bearing 9-12 cusps, median cusp prominent, a multicuspidate tooth at symphysis posterior to outer row dentary teeth; lateral line complete, 26-29 tubes, ultimate canal-bearing scale terminal; anal fin with 3 unbranched and 14-17 branched rays (Ref. 80290).

Coloration: black lateral band from posterior opercular margin to caudal fin base (Ref. 42032, 80290), underlain by broad band of silver pigment in life (Ref. 80290). Band width and pigmentation density increase caudad and greatest at vertical through anal fin origin; dorsal fin with dark mark at apical tip involving frist 3-4 branched rays; adipose fin without pigment; caudal fin lobes often brilliant red in life (Ref. 80290). Fins greyish (Ref. 42032).