This species is distinguished by the following characters: head and body greatly compressed laterally; body with thin sparse scales, head and end part of body without scales; no ventral fins; small pectoral fins, less than one fourth of HL; 6 rays on gill membranes, free from isthmus and form a broad fold across it; seismosensory system of body without canals; dorsal fin made up of short prickles becoming slightly thicker towards tail; membranes of dorsal and anal fins fused with caudal fin; principal rays of caudal fin branched; reduced pyloric caeca; colour of body bright red with a dark spot crossed by a light-colored vertical band above the upper edge of gill slit and extending into dorsal fin, and the head and anterior part of the body with few discontinuous dark bands (Ref. 86872).