This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D X,15-16; pectoral-fin rays 14, all unbranched; lateral line complete, with 29 or 30 pored scales; scale rows above lateral line 3; diagonal rows of large scales on cheek between eye and corner of preopercle 5 or 6; preopercle with two antrorse spines on the ventral margin, 20-29 serrae on posterior margin; margins of subopercle and interopercle have a few serrae (weak in large individuals); minute flaps at tips of first to ninth dorsal-fin spines; caudal fin shallowly emarginate, some ray branches are distinctively elongated past fin margin; fourth dorsal-fin spine is the longest, its length 110.6-128.6% that of third spine. Colouration: body pinkish-white with two longitudinal rows of irregular orange-red blotches on the upper half of lateral surface when fresh (rows close together in smaller than ca. 5.0 cm SL), blotches interconnecting anteriorly on upper and lower rows, and posterior half of lower row; four faint orange-red vertical bands seen below lateral line on posterior half of body and two distinct yellow blotches on cheek in fresh specimens. body uniformly yellowish-brown with two longitudinal rows of irregular dark blotches on the upper half of lateral surface in preserved specimens (faint in small specimens) (Ref. 132559).