| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10-12; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 10-11. Dorsal rays VII + I, 10–12 (usually 11); anal rays I,10 (10–11, rarely 11); pectoral rays 15–17
(usually 16); branched caudal rays 10–12 (usually 11); mouth ventral, the snout overhanging; tongue truncate; rostral frenum present; color in alcohol pale yellowish with a black stripe from front of snout, through lower half of eye, across upper part of operculum and dorsal third of pectoral-fin base, broadening along lower side
of body, to posterior end of caudal fin; a broad black middorsal stripe on snout, continuing onto postorbital head (where often divided medially), then along base of dorsal fin, joining to a single narrow stripe dorsally on caudal peduncle, and extending submarginally to end of caudal fin; color in life pale gray to white, with black stripes as described; a narrow, pale blue, pale yellow, or white stripe from anterior nostril through dorsal part of eye, continuing as a narrow bright blue stripe within lower part of pale gray stripe on upper side of body, and extending as a narrow blue band into caudal fin. |
