This species is distinguished by the following: eyes relatively small and snout relatively long (eye length usually shorter than snout length, 86.7-105% of snout length), number of dorsal fin rays relatively high (total number of spines and soft rays in dorsal fin usually 30 or 31). Large males (>117.2 mm LS) with long pelvic fin (>30% of standard length LS), a distinct pearl-grey longitudinal line through the upper end of the pectoral fin base, and without a black large blotch on nape (Ref. 74417).

Description: body streamlined, deepest at anterior part of spinous dorsal fin; caudal peduncle elongate; dorsal profile of head concave at interorbital region; ventral profile of head gently rounded; interorbital region convex; posterior edge of mouth not reaching vertical line through anterior margin of eye; 40-57 outer teeth on premaxilla; dorsal fin origin above second upper lateral line scale; each dorsal fin spine with a lappet near tip; soft rays of dorsal fin branched; posterior tip of dorsal fin elongate, extending beyond caudal fin base when depressed; anal fin origin below base of first dorsal fin soft ray; anal spines increasing in length posteriorly; first and second anal spines with a lappet near tip; soft rays of anal branched; posterior tip of anal fin elongate, extending beyond caudal fin base when depressed; upper end of pectoral fin base below base of first dorsal fin spine; distal tip of pectoral fin acutely pointed; fifth soft ray longest, not reaching a vertical line through anus; soft pectoral fin rays branched, except uppermost one and lowermost two; pelvic fin origin below base of fifth dorsal fin spine; all soft rays branched, with outer rays longer than inner ones; outermost soft ray of pelvics filamentously elongate, reaching base of third anal fin soft ray; upper and lower lobes of caudal fin filamentously elongate posteriorly; outer oral teeth unicuspid, arranged in a single regular row; inner oral teeth unicuspid, much smaller than outer teeth, arranged in a single row on anterior part of upper jaw; gill rakers on first ceratobranchial slender and elongate, shorter anteriorly; scales ctenoid on flank; cheek with three scale rows; caudal fin with small scales anteriorly on fin membrane between rays; other fins lack scales; lower pharyngeal bone of a paratype (HUMZ 198788) sub-triangular with concave lateral margins and deeply concave caudal margin; upper lateral line originating from sensory canal of supracleithrum, posteriorly not reaching posterior end of dorsal fin base; 46-70 scales in upper part of lateral line; lower lateral line on body axis, originating at level of third anal fin spine, posteriorly extending beyond caudal fin base; 29-44 scales in lower part of lateral line. Coloration (fresh specimens): distinct sexual colour dimorphism exists. Males: ground colour of body dark brown, paler ventrally; three distinct pearl-grey longitudinal lines on body side, the upper one from nape, running below and more or less parallel to upper lateral line, along upper part of caudal peduncle to caudal fin base; the second from gill cover, running first along midline of body, posteriorly below and parallel to the lower lateral line to caudal fin base; the third one from gill cover, running just above pectoral fin base, along lower part of body to posterior end of anal fin base; cheek and ventral half of gill cover yellow; dorsal fin brown in spiny region, yellow in soft ray region with black distal margin; anal fin yellow; pelvic fin black; caudal fin brown with two vertical white lines, which bend forward at the middle; upper and lower margins of caudal fin white. Females: ground colour of body brown, paler ventrally; no pearl-grey lines on body; ventral half of gill cover yellow; dorsal fin light brown in spiny region, pale yellow in soft ray region with black distal margin; anal fin pale yellow; pelvic fin transparent with black anterior margin; caudal fin brown with two vertical white lines as like large male, but much paler (Ref. 74417).