Distinguished from congeners in British Isles by the combination of the following characters: coloration of flank bluish brown with numerous medium orange spots, belly orange; pectoral, pelvic and anal fins reddish brown to bright red, with white anterior margin; interorbital space convex; eye diameter about equal to snout length at 12-14 cm SL, 4.3-5.9 times in HL; length of lower jaw at most 2/3 of HL; snout conical, upper jaw not protruding; maxilla reaching posterior margin of eye in adult males; and 11-16 gill rakes on lower limb (Ref. 59043).