Distinguished by the following characteristics: head and body brownish, fins darker; two dark lines on head, one from lower edge of the eye to the ventral rear edge of the interopercle, 2nd from the dark maxillary streak to the lower edge of the preopercle; adults brown or greyish brown; distinct yellow blotch on body below the spinous dorsal fin; body depth less than head length, depth contained 3.0-3.4 times in Sl; head length 2.5-2.7 times in SL; interorbital area convex; angular preopercle, 2-3 enlarged serrae at the angle; middle and lower opercular spines flat but distinct, upper spine not apparent; straight or slightly convex upper edge of operculum; maxilla usually reaching a vertical rear edge of eye, ventral edge of maxilla with low step, no scale on maxilla; 2 rows of teeth on midlateral part of lower jaw; lateral body scales ctenoid, with auxilliary scales in adults; pyloric caeca 17 (Ref. 89707).