This species is distinguished by having the entire body, including the lips and outer margins of the sclera, covered with small dark reddish to black spots encircled with a white ring; cheeks with numerous small shallow depressions, giving a pitted appearance to the head; an extremely small illicium and esca, barely discernible even with aid of a dissecting microscope; dark pink pigmentation overlaying a pale pink background, including a dark pink basidorsal spot; a small white encrusted patch of skin (resembling coralline algae) always present posterior to pectoral-fin origin, sometimes present on cheeks; head lightly covered with cutaneous cirri, especially around edges of opercle; upper and lower lips with short cutaneous cirri (Ref. 89955).