Body elongate and laterally compressed, particularly posteriorly (Ref. 56501). Snout elongate, dorsoventrally compressed and wide, in lateral view concave posterior to premaxillary pedicels (Ref. 56501). Eye large (Ref. 56501). Mouth large and oblique, caudal margins of maxilla and premaxilla terminate at level of vertical located at about 1/3 distance through orbit from anterior margin (Ref. 56501). First dorsal-fin origin located well posterior to vertical through pelvic-fin insertion, at about 3/4 of distance between pelvic- and anal-fin origins; with 4-6 feeble unbranched rays (Ref. 56501). Second dorsal-fin origin located well posterior to vertical through anal-fin origin, at about 1/3 distance along anal-fin base; with 11-14 rays (Ref. 56501). Flanks covered with large, regularly imbricate cycloid scales; head asquamate from tip of snout through interorbital region to posterior margin of orbit, except for single, enlarged, dorsal interorbital scale that extends anteriorly to approximately mid-orbit; cheek scaled; opercle scaled except along caudal margin, and subopercle scaled except along caudal or caudoventral margin; interopercle scaled; lacrimal and posterior margin of preopercle asquamate; 19-20 predorsal scales, and 37-38 scales in longitudinal series (Ref. 56501).

Base body coloration dark olive to dark grayish-brown dorsal of lateral midline, white or pearlescent ventral to lateral midline; prominent, wide black midlateral stripe present and continuous, some iridescent golden scales present within midlateral stripe centrally on body and dorsal to midlateral stripe posteriorly on flanks; chest and belly white or pearlescent (Ref. 56501). Males have a white margin on the second dorsal fin , and both sexes have a blotchy bright yellow, orange, or orangish-red anal fin (Ref. 56501).