This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: D XVI,9; A III,8-9; pectoral-fin rays 12-13; total gill rakers 6, including rudiments; scale rows in longitudinal series 88-90 (mode 89); scale rows above lateral line 11-13; scale rows below lateral line 30-34; scale rows between sixth dorsal-fin spine base and lateral line 10-13; thorax no scales; interspinous dorsal-fin membranes weakly notched; last dorsal-fin soft ray joined posteriorly by membrane to dorsal edge of caudal peduncle and basal upper margin of caudal fin; vertebrae 9 + 17; head short, its length 27.7-29.5% (mean 29.2%) of SL; snout short, its length 5.6-6.8% (6.1%) of SL; orbit diameter 8.1-9.9% (8.9%) of SL; interorbital width 4.1-4.4% (4.2%) of SL; postorbital length 14.9-15.6% (15.2%) of SL; body depth 29.6-35.3% (31.1%) of SL; anal-fin base length 32.1-35.0% (32.9%) of SL; caudal-fin length 39.1-45.0% (42.6%) of SL; dorsal-fin rays and pelvic-fin spine long, second dorsal-fin spine length 39.0-48.5% (44.3%) of SL, third dorsal-fin spine length 35.8-40.8% (38.3%) of SL, fourth dorsal-fin spine length 25.4-30.6% (28.1%) of SL, fifth dorsal-fin spine length 19.1-24.7% (22.2%) of SL, sixth dorsal-fin spine length 17.4-19.6% (18.6%) of SL, penultimate dorsal-fin spine length 17.2-19.8% (18.9%) of SL, last dorsal-fin spine length 17.8-20.6% (19.5%) of SL, longest dorsal-fin soft ray length 24.2-29.9 % (28.2%) of SL, pelvic-fin spine length 12.7-14.9% (14.0%) of SL. Colouration: body uniformly brown, fins blackish (fresh and preserved specimens) (Ref. 123539).