D IX,11; A III,10-12 (usually 11); pectoral rays 14 (including very small uppermost ray); lateral-line scales 27 (one of ten with 28); head naked; nape fully scaled; most scales of straight anterior part of lateral line with two diverging surface tubules ending in a pore; suborbital pores 6 or 7; gill rakers 18-20; body depth 3.2-3.45 in SL; head length (HL) 2.9-3.0 in SL; snout length 2.85-3.25 in HL; dorsal spines progressively longer, the ninth 2.7-3.3 in HL; caudal fin slightly rounded, 1.35-1.45 in HL; small adults in alcohol have the dorsal half of body with alternating dusky and pale stripes following longitudinal scale rows anteriorly, the pale stripes centered along scales, changing posterior to pectoral fins to a pale spot on each scale; six groups of 3-8 small dark spots (one per scale) along side of body, the first beginning above outer part of pectoral fin; nape with small dark spots; a vertically elongate dark spot posteriorly on opercular flap; a dark band on side of snout from eye to base of upper lip; triangular black spot dorsally on base of pectoral fin, continuing above fin base and enclosing a small pale spot; an irregular black spot in dorsal fin between 5ht and 7th spines; fins otherwise pale except for scaled basal part of caudal fin coloured like body; large males lose the groups of small dark brown spots on the body (Ref. 85096).