Diagnosis: 2 scale rows between upper lateral line and anterior part of lower lateral line (Ref. 52346, 53405). High lateral line count (38-42); low gill raker count (13-15 along lower limb of first arch); lower pharyngeal jaw with a short, deep keel that is deeply indented along the ventral margin (Ref. 52346).

Description: juveniles gracile, slender-bodied fish that become increasingly deep-bodied and robust as they grow larger; predorsal profile in adults rises more or less smoothly to dorsal fin origin, but a fleshy bulge in interorbital region often interrupts outline (Ref. 52346). Front of head slightly rounded (Ref. 52307). Deepest body depth along back lies at or a little behind origin of dorsal fin; lower jaw more or less along horizontal when mouth is closed, but may become increasingly oblique in larger individuals; lower pharyngeal jaw relatively short and robust; lips well-developed but not noticeably thickened or fleshy (Ref. 52346). Outer and inner jaw teeth unicuspid, pharyngeal jaw teeth molariform (Ref. 53405). First hypobranchial and last ceratobranchial rakers often reduced in size while other ceratobranchial rakers are broad and stout; inferior vertebral apophysis composed of an elongate, caudally straight-edged spine borne the third vertebral centrum (Ref. 52346). Micro-gillrakers present; scales cycloid (Ref. 53405). 2 scale rows between upper lateral line and anterior part of lower lateral line (Ref. 52307, 52346, 53405). 38-42 lateral line scales (Ref. 52346, 53405). Upper branch of lateral line terminates well in advance of end of dorsal fin, usually below 7th-5th ray from free end of fin; terminal canal bearing scales usually does not descend scale rows; dorsal and ventral branches of lateral line on caudal fin extend almost to fin periphery, while median branch is frequently shorter; dorsal fin spines rapidly increasing in length to 5th-6th and then more or less equal in length; anal fin rounded; pectoral fins relatively short and rarely reaching level of spinous anal fin; first branched pelvic ray often produced and filamentous, often reaching beyond spinous anal fin; caudal fin emarginate and in larger individuals finely but uniformily scaled almost to periphery; caudal scaling minimal in juveniles (Ref. 52346).

Coloration: No information about color pattern in life (Ref. 52346, 53405). Preserved specimens uniformely light (or sometimes dark) brown (Ref. 52346, 53405), with silvery dots on body scales (Ref. 52307). In specimens smaller than 18-20cm SL upper lip and ethmoidal region greyish (Ref. 52346, 53405), a diffuse opercular blotch present (Ref. 52346), and sides with 6-7 cross bars extending to below midline, which are very distinct in juveniles (juvenile barring), but fewer and less apparent, and not extending below midline in specimens over 18-20cm SL (Ref. 52346, 53405). Dorsal fin with mesh-like patterning of numerous non-occelate pale maculae set upon a smokey grey background (Ref. 52346). Mature males have a prominent interorbital stripe in addition to a strongly marked nape band (Ref. 52346, 53405), and filamentous first branched ray, and much of rest of pelvic fin, dark smokey grey; in male specimens smokey grey anal fin bears faint traces of a few white maculae in proximal field, which is not the case in female specimens; caudal fin bears numerous thin black stripes (Ref. 52346). Anterior parts of anal fin light red with dark spots that are usually visible (Ref. 52307).