Distinguished by the following characters: mouth moderate; reaching to below anterior margin of eye; operculum with large patch of small mostly cycloid scales (10-20 scales) in 2 or 3 rows; pectoral base covered with small cycloid scales in adult, partly scaled to naked in specimens below 40 mm SL ; first dorsal fin usually with small black spot posteriorly; second dorsal rays usually I,9; pectoral rays 18-22; predorsal scale count 18-24; no extra lateral canal pores above operculum; papilla line 6 absent; papilla lines composed of single row of papillae; body with a series of large spots on midside, each covering 2-3 scales in longitudinal direction on midside and one row above and one row below midside scales (Ref. 90210).