Characterized by overall greenish brown body color with five dark brown to blackish bars; presence of pale edged dark stripe through eye and another across cheek; head with white streaks; small white spots in 3-4 horizontal rows on body; first dorsal fin with black spot and another on upper caudal fin base; prolonged third and fourth dorsal spines as short filaments, first dorsal spine longer than second; rounded caudal fin; longitudinal scale series 50-55; ctenoid scales; cycloid scales on nape, abdomen, and breast; predorsal scales extending to interorbital space; scales dorsally on opercle, absent on cheek; depth of body 3.4-4.6 in SL (Ref. 90102).