Diagnosis: lower pharyngeal jaw slender and gracile, with a reduced dentigerous plate; gill filaments of first arch short (ca. 10% of head length); 13-16 fleshy gill rakers on first arch; anterior gill rakers not markedly reduced in size (Ref. 81260).

Description: body moderately slender (Ref. 52307). Head relatively large, not massive (Ref. 52307), its length 35.6-42.3% SL (Ref. 81260). Lower pharyngeal jaw with weakly bicuspid, curved anterior teeth and straight bicuspid posterior teeth; ventral keel shorter than dentigerous plate; 2-3 rows of teeth in upper jaw, outer row teeth usually bicuspid, but occasionally unicuspid (Ref. 81260).

Coloration: reddish bronze, darkest dorsally on flanks; snout, cheek and opercle blood-red; upper lip black, lower lip brilliant white (Ref. 52307, 81260). Belly reddish bronze; slight whitish tinge to fleshy base of pectoral fin; well marked black opercular spot; dorsal fin dusky-black with reddish hue over soft ray membrane; caudal fin red proximally, with black distal border and lower lobe; anal fin red proximally, with black distal border; pelvics black; pectoral fins reddish (Ref. 81260).