This species is distinguished by the following characters: anal-fin origin below or behind the vertical through the last dorsal-fin ray (vs. below the 5th or 6th branched dorsal-fin ray in A. qalilus); scale rows between the lateral line and anal-fin origin 4-5 (vs. 3 in A. qalilus); with a clear pattern of bold black or brown scales in live individuals (vs. fuzzy and usually blurred in A. qalilus) (Ref. 119732).