This species is distinguished by the following characters: mental fraenum is truncate, with straight posterior margin; large mouth reaching to point below posterior quarter of eye; jaws forming an angle of 35-45° with body axis; upper margin of the upper jaw is in line with point just below eye; with a distinct groove behind eye formed by elevated eyes and triangular projection of skin from nape; slightly bulbous cheeks. very narrow interorbital with less than pupil diameter; gill opening reaching to below a point just behind posterior preopercular margin; head papillae in longitudinal pattern; entirely cycloid scales; predorsal area is partly scaled, midline naked, or rarely with one scale before first dorsal fin, sides of nape scaled forward in an arch from first dorsal origin to above middle to anterior part of operculum; naked cheek, operculum and pectoral fin base; scaled prepelvic area, except for small area anteriorly, scales embedded and not easily seen; belly is covered with cycloid scales, except for a small naked area just behind pelvic fin insertion; first dorsal fin low, with rounded to slightly pointed margin, the 3rd to 5th spines longest and not filamentous, spines 3-5 extending beyond other spines when fin depressed; first dorsal fin sometimes with a small black spot on membranes between distal tips of third and fourth spines; pelvic disc with a median dark stripe; body possess 3 slightly oblique dark bands and rounded spot at end of caudal peduncle extending onto caudal fin; D2 I,10; A I,10; pectoral fin rays often 18-19; longitudinal scale count 50-70; predorsal scale count 0-4; transverse scale count (TRB) 23-25 (Ref. 116701).