This species is characterized by the following: Vertebrae 151-156; body depth at anus 26-34 in TL; snout to anus 1.7-1.8 in TL; HL 7.8-9.4 in TL; snout length 5.5-6 in HL; eye over middle of gape, 9.4-11.8 in HL; anterior nostril tubular, about 3/4 eye diameter; moderately large and recurved conical teeth in an ovate patch on intermaxilla, in 2 rows on maxilla, one row on lower jaw and vomer; dorsal fin origin over or slightly in front of gill opening; pectoral fins 4.8-4.9 in HL; body white with 16-20 dark bars dorsally, may cross body on tail, with dark brown spots that vary from a few dorsally to many over all of body, including within the less-pigmented dark bars; numerous close-set dark brown spots on head, faint or absent in pharyngeal region; elongate dark brown spots along margin of dorsal fin (Ref. 86689).