Can be diagnosed by having a wide gill opening, extending anteroventral to preoperculum, but not reaching to below eye, usually ending below posterior preopercular margin, sometimes as far forward as midway between posterior preopercular margin and eye; head papillae in transverse pattern; generally dark brown body, with darker brown mottling on sides, black stripes on 1st dorsal in adult males; jaws reaching to behind eye in mature males, variably developed in juvenile males and females, usually reaching below middle of eye to near end of eye; rounded to truncate tongue tip (Ref. 76772).

Description: longitudinal scale count 34-42; transverse scale count 9-11 (Ref. 76772).