This species is distinguished by the following characters: deep and compressed body with greatest depth 2.1-2.4 in SL; dorsal head profile steep, straight, or slightly concave along snout and distinctly convex from eye to dorsal fin; longitudinal scale series 94-104; gill rakers 8-11 + 15-17; in adults the middle dorsal and anal-fin rays are elongated, giving these fins an angular profile, with the rear margin almost vertical; caudal fin truncate, 8 branched rays in upper lobe and 7 in lower lobe; pectoral fins asymmetric, 17-19 rays. Colour of body dark brown to black, occasionally with an orange cast, usually with a pale vertical bar on side of abdomen; inside of mouth, gill cavity and upper jaw membranes reddish orange; juveniles with a broad white posterior margin on caudal fin and a narrow white margin on soft dorsal fin (Ref 5222).