Description: Body elongate and flanks slightly compressed; body depth largest at dorsal-fin origin; predorsal body profile straight to slightly convex; body profile convex along dorsal-fin base, straight to slightly convex from insertion of last dorsal-fin ray to adipose-fin origin, and straight to slightly convex along caudal peduncle; ventral body profile nearly straight along prepelvic region and slightly convex from pelvic-fin insertion to caudal peduncle (Ref. 127100). Head pointed in dorsal view, its ventral profile slightly convex along anterior portion of dentary, convex from that point on to isthmus; head length greater than body depth and relatively larger in smaller specimens; dorsal surface of head flat; interorbital distance wide, nearly equal to eye diameter; eye large, laterally positioned and closer to tip of snout than to posterior end of operculum; nostril closer to anterior border of eye than to tip of snout; snout length larger than interorbital width; mouth small and subterminal, located posteroventral of tip of snout (Ref. 127100). Dorsal fin originating on anterior half of body and posterior to pelvic-fin origin, at equal distance from tip of snout and adipose-fin origin; three or four lateral line scales in-between verticals through pelvic and dorsal-fin insertions; adipose fin small, situated closer to caudal-fin origin than to dorsal-fin end; pectoral fin pointed; third pectoral and fourth pelvic rays the longest; posterior tip of pelvic fin generally reaching but not surpassing anus; three anteriormost pelvic-fin rays exhibiting thickened pads of skin along ventral surface; axillary pelvic scale present; posterior limit of anal-fin base situated posterior to adipose-fin base; caudal peduncle longer than deep; caudal fin deeply forked with equally-sized lobes (Ref. 127100). Body covered with ctenoid scales; lateral line complete running in straight line from head to middle of caudal-fin base; anteriormost lateral line scales small, gradually increasing to reach their maximum size under dorsal fin; three to five lateral line scales extending over caudal fin; three to five scales between anus and insertion of anal fin; lateral line scales 37-43, predorsal scales 8-12, scales between lateral line and dorsal-fin origin 4-5, scales between lateral line and pelvic-fin origin 4-5, circumpeduncular scales 14-16 (Ref. 127100). Small tubercles around tip of snout and upper part of head; cheek and opercular region lacking tubercles (Ref. 127100). Number of vertebrae 32 or 33 (Ref. 127100). Dentary teeth in one continuous row, with teeth decreasing gradually in size posteriorly; upper jaw with 8 biscupid teeth and lower jaw with 10 biscupid teeth (Ref. 127100).

Colouration: Living specimens characterized by bright red lips; iris yellow whitish; narrow yellowish circle around the pupil; overall background colouration yellowish on flanks, greenish-yellow on dorsum and whitish on belly; seven black saddle-like blotches along dorsum, each covering 4 or 5 scales, two anterior to dorsal-fin origin, one below dorsal-fin base, two between dorsal and adipose fins, one below adipose fin and one on caudal peduncle; eight to ten more elongate and narrower black spots on lower flanks, each covering two scales; a black longitudinal band on midlateral surface of body, two scales wide, extending from posterior border of opercle to caudal-fin base; large black spot on posterior end of caudal peduncle and, base of caudal fin, extending slightly on lower lobe; head with black pigmentation most intense over fontanels, posterior half of cranium and opercular region; all fins conspicuously yellow-orange; dorsal fin with two transverseblack bands; adipose fin yellowish orange at its base and silvery, translucent distally; anal fin with one transverse black band and one black spot more distally; central portion of pelvic fin with a transverse black band, widening anteriorly, sometimes interrupted; base of anterior edge of pelvic fin with an elongated black spot; two transverse black bars/blotches across each caudal-fin lobe; first one, approximately, on proximal third, and second one, approximately, on distal third; first of both bars/blotches, on each caudal-fin lobes, sometimes merging with each other across lobes (Ref. 127100). Colour in alcohol: overall colour of head and body yellowish to pale brown; bright red colour on lips fading on freshly preserved specimens; dorsum and flanks light brownish; belly yellowish; fins yellowish; dorsal region of body darker than ventral region; midlateral surface of body with black longitudinal band, more conspicuous than in living or freshly-caught specimens; black longitudinal bands or spots on dorsal, anal and pelvic fins still visible on preserved specimens; black bands on caudal-fin lobes reduced to two black spots on each lobe (Ref. 127100).