Distinguished by its long upper jaw, which reaches at least below the middle of the eye in adults; the fine teeth in a single row on the vomer and palatine bones; and the 38 to 47 gill rakers on the 1st arch (Ref. 27547). Gill rakers long; lateral line incomplete and reaching not quite to below dorsal fin (Ref. 27547). Breeding males have tubercles on upper sides of paired fins (Ref. 27547). Pale olive brown dorsally, silvery white on sides and ventral surfaces; fins usually stripped along the rays, but inter-ray membranes clear;. Young are translucent with 2 rows of large black spots, on each side of the midline of the back, from head to caudal peduncle; peritoneum silver with light speckling. Spawning males with moss-green backs, and dense, black speckling on the head and dorsal surface of the body. The peritoneum is silvery with black speckling.