This species can be distinguished from its congeners by the reddish orange blotches or broken bands on the head and the 13 reddish orange to dark brown bands found between the pectoral fin and caudal fin (Ref. 58341).

Description: Body elongate, laterally compressed, and naked except for usually 4 basicaudal ctenoid scales, which are typically arranged in a single, vertical row on each side of the peduncle; a specimen has a fifth scale in a second row on the right side, and another has two scales on the left ventral half of the peduncle, and none dorsally; tongue is bilobed; conical teeth arranged in a single row, but males have enlarged, recurved canines; males possess an elongated first dorsal spine and have a slender, conical genital papilla; females have a blunt papilla (Ref 58341).