This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: hind margin of preopercle with two small but distinct spines; D 91-92; A 72-76; P 28-29; precaudal vertebrae 13; total vertebrae 53; pseudobranchial filaments 5; long rakers on anterior gill arch 10; head length 24% Sl; pelvic-fin length 29-32% Sl, fins extending beyond anus; orbit length 5.1-5.2% Sl and 21-22% hl; longest gill filament 1.7-1.8% Sl and 7.1-7.8% hl; dorsal fin with central ocellus, spot distance 45-46% Sl and spot covers 11-12 dorsal-fin rays, placed just behind line through anus; ocellus spot black in fresh and preserved status, not extending ventrally onto body; when fresh, four pale brown vertical bars from dorsal fin down to body or anal fin; absence of bars in preserved specimens; otolith length 5.4% Sl, sulcus length 4.6-4.8% Sl, and ostium height 15-17% sulcus length and 22-26% ostium length (Ref. 137826).