This species of the S. rothschildi species complex is distinguished by the following characters: dorsal fin is situated far posteriorly, at about vertical through anal-fin origin; preanal length 73.2-79.9% SL; dorsum before dorsal fin with six saddles; on abdominal ridge before pelvic fin with 4 saddles; horizontal distance between origins of pelvic and dorsal fins 96.3-105.3% horizontal distance between origins of pelvic and anal fins; vertebrae before dorsal-fin origin (DFO) 57-58 and before anal-fin origin 56-58; vertebrae between pelvic-fin origin (VFO) and DFO 17-19; lateral-line scales before DFO 56-68 and before AFO 57-58 (Ref. 121607).