This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: predorsal scales 6; first dorsal fin without elongate and filamentous spine; fifth pelvic-fin ray unbranched, the basal membrane reduced; interorbital groove is shallow; interorbital space wide and bony width 75-77% of pupil diameter; absence of opercle scales; when fresh scale pockets with deep orange margins; when alive, 8 yellowish orange saddles over the dorsal midline and 6 saddles on the ventral midline (Ref. 91085).