This species is distinguished by the following characters: D X,16; A III, 7; pectoral rays 17; lateral-line scales 42; gill rakers 14 + 31; body depth 2.35 in SL; head length (HL) 2.75 in SL; large eye, orbit diameter 3.15 in HL; at angle of preopercle a spine extending about half distance to margin of subopercle; arrowhead-shaped vomerine tooth patch; mesopterygoids with a patch of villiform teeth; dorsally on snout are small scales nearly reaching base of upper lip; anteriorly mandible scaled nearly to second mandibular pore; elongate third dorsal spine, 1.55 in HL; dorsal fin with no rays produced as filaments; third anal spine slightly longer than second, 1.95 HL; deeply emarginate caudal fin, the lobes tapering little and not pointed, fin length 2.55 in SL; pectoral fins 1.15 in HL, 3.2 in SL; pelvic fins are reaching base of third anal spine, 3.05 in SL; body color when fresh deep pink dorsally, paler ventrally, with a large yellow area on body above pectoral fin except large faint dusky patches below dorsal fin; head crossed by 4 faint yellow stripes; dorsal fin is mainly yellow basally, pink distally; caudal fin pink, a broad yellow band in each lobe, confluent basally in fin (Ref. 57080).