Diagnosis: mouth broad, lower jaw slightly prominent; outer row of caniniform teeth in lower jaw distinctly larger than inner rows; lateral teeth of this outer row particularly enlarged and backward-pointing; interorbital space narrow; small, cycloid, predorsal scales extending anteriorly beyond level of preoperculum, towards rear edge of orbit, with anterior margin of scaled area convex in dorsal view; 11-16 predorsal scales; small scales at bases of pectoral fins and slightly reduced scales at base of caudal fin; flanks covered with large, weakly ctenoid scales; 23-27 scales in longitudinal series (including about 2 scales on caudal fin base), 7-9 in rearward transverse series; 1st dorsal fin: VI, sometimes with spines prolonged; 2nd dorsal fin: I,8 (rarely 9); anal fin: I,7-9; pectoral fins: 15-17 rays; caudal fin rounded or subacuminate, with 17-18 segmented rays; tips of pelvic fins not reaching to anus (Ref. 57403, 79590).

Coloration: Preserved specimens, as well as live individuals, can be identified by their characteristic pigmentation patterns; head with a black ‘chinstrap’ band slightly narrower than eye, running behind jaw, ventrally from lower margin of eye to isthmus on ventral part of head; blackish spot on upper part of pectoral-fin base, and another on flanks immediately dorsal to this; 3 black lines running anteriorly along head, each starting at pectoral spot: one band runs anteriorly along dorsal margin of operculum and preoperculum towards eye, where it extends anteroventrally along lower margin of eye until it meets black chinstrap band; 2nd band runs anteroventrally on operculum towards preoperculum or rear of suborbital region; 3rd band runs ventrally over operculum towards branchiostegal rays; body brownish, paler on belly; several irregular bars on back, sometimes extending onto flanks; faint band along midline, emphasized into about 5 regularly spaced spots on midline; dorsal and caudal fins dusky; distinct black spot at base of caudal fin; pelvic and pectoral fins dark; ventral region of pectoral-fin base with oval black spots, sometimes confluent and forming a crescentric band along lower fin margin; anal fin dark, especially near distal margin (Ref. 57403, 79590).