This species of the 'highfin megalops group' is distinguished by the following set of characters: abdomen depth 9.0-10.6% TL; pre-vent length 48.6-49.2% TL, about 2.5 times dorsal caudal margin; pre-second dorsal length 4.3-4.4 times pectoral-fin anterior margin, about 3.1 times dorsal caudal margin; head width about 1.5 times abdomen width; preoral length 2.9-3.2 times horizontal prenarial length, about 8.7% TL; head length 4.4-4.7 times eye length; mouth width 3.1-3.3 times length of upper labial furrow; interorbital width about 1.5 times horizontal preorbital length; fifth gill slit height 2.2-2.5% TL; strongly bifurcated anterior nasal flap; first dorsal fin upright, upper posterior margin directed posteroventrally, greatest concavity slightly closer to free rear tip than fin apex; posterior margin of second dorsal fin deeply concave; second dorsal-fin spine with a broad base; pectoral fin not falcate, anterior margin short, 13.9-14.1% TL; dorsal surface slightly darker than ventral surface, but tones not sharply demarcated on side of head; dorsal fins pale with paler tips; first dorsal-fin spine darker than base of soft portion of dorsal fin; caudal fin has a broad white posterior margin, caudal bar absent; flank denticles are weakly to moderately tricuspid; monospondylous centra 42-44, precaudal centra 88-92, total centra 114-120 (Ref. 58440).