Diagnosis: 12 or more rakers on lower limb of first gill arch; outer row jaw teeth gracile and somewhat spatulate; adults with dark, broad vertical stripes on flanks; ventral scales with small irregular red-brown spots; head profile straight; lower pharyngeal jaw with relatively strong teeth not forming a felt-like covering (Ref. 81260).

Description: deep-bodied, with a relatively short head (Ref. 52307), its length 32.4-37.0% SL (Ref. 81260). Remarkably rounded frontal profile in adults; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307). Lower pharyngeal jaw with pointed, curved anterior teeth and larger posterior teeth, generally with 2 secondary cusps; ventral keel shorter than dentigerous plate; 4-7 tooth rows in oral jaws, teeth on outer rows bicuspid and spatulate (Ref. 81260).

Coloration: adults: yellowish; lower lip, throat, chest and belly whitish; upper lip, snout and dorsum of head dark olive-green; 6-8 vertical stripes on body and caudal peduncle, with narrow interspaces; base of each flank scale marked with a fine black, sickle-shaped spot; between upper lateral line and belly, many small wine red spots are irregularly distributed (as many as 1-3 per scale); unpaired fins greenish, with few clear maculae between soft rays; pelvics greenish or greyish, with a whitish leading edge (Ref. 81260). Juveniles generally yellow, with 7-8 dark, vertical stripes; fins greyish or transparent; dorsal fin with yellow distal margin; yellow maculae between caudal rays and soft dorsal and anal fin (Ref. 81260).