This species is distinguished by the following characters: D IV + 13; pectoral rays 18; oblique scale rows on midside of body 37-41; body above lateral line anterior to second dorsal fin no scales; body depth of adult at anal-fin origin 3.6-4.05 in SL; the head broad and flat dorsally, the width 2.5-2.8 in SL; rugose bones dorsally on head; occipital lobes are not developed as knobs; large cleithral spine, slightly angled dorsally; 3.85-4.7 in head length; supracleithrum does not form a distinct spine posteriorly; small spines 5-7 ventrally on preopercle; blunt preorbital spines 3-5; small eyes its orbit diameter 6.45-7.1 in head length; lingual lure broadly triangular and flat at the base, with long cirri on each side, narrowing to a slender ribbon-like filament with short cirri on edges, its length is half the distance separating cleithral spines; dorsal fins are narrowly separated; margin of second dorsal fin straight; caudal fin slightly rounded. Colouration: in life it is light gray-brown, grading to white ventrally, the dorsal half of body with irregular longitudinal rows of dark brown spots of about eye size, many rosette-like, and scattered dark brown dots, especially posteriorly; head with dark dots dorsally; the first dorsal fin largely black while the second dorsal and anal fins have translucent membranes, the dorsal rays and posterior anal rays dotted with dark brown, the margin white; caudal fin dark gray with black dots on rays, the posterior margin white (Ref. 93135).