Second dorsal-fin rays 0-3 more than anal-fin rays. Preopercular-mandibular canal with 10 pores; infraorbital canal with 6-8 pores; supra-orbital canal with 4 pores; coronal commissure with a single median pore; temporal canal with 5-6 pores; supratemporal canal complete wit 3 pores. Body and head almost entirely scaled, including snout, preorbitals, posterior part of maxilla, lower jaw, isthmus, branchiostegal membranes and proximal parts of branchiostegal rays.

Color: In alcohol, ground color buff, with a chequered pattern formed by staggered dark blotches along the dorsal, lateral and ventral parts of the body; ventral dark blotches may appear as short wavy horizontal dark marks. Snout, occipital region and sometimes interorbital area are dark.