This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: vertebrae 27; D2 I,10; scaled posterior quarter of the predorsal region in front of D1 origin and with several rows of cycloid scales; scales on body, cycloid anteriorly and ctenoid posteriorly; scales in lateral series 30-32, with anterior oculoscapular canal; absence of preopercular head canal; suborbital row 7 each a single papilla, suborbital rows 2 and 4 are close to orbit; branchiostegal membranes are uniformly black below preopercle, forming V-mark (Ref. 118256).