This species is distinguished from all its congeners by the following characters: D2 I,9; A I,8; pectoral fin rays modally 16; longitudinal scale series 28-30 (modally 29); predorsal scales 9-10 (modally 9); vertebral count 27; rear edge of mouth merely extending to the vertical of anterior margin of pupil in male. Colouration in males: lateral side of trunk of with 6-7 longitudinal rows of bright orange to orange red spots which general size about 1/2 of pupil diameter, the snout with 2 parallel brownish gray stripes, orange one as posterior stripes in male, the cheek and opercle with 24-35 orange spots, the branchiostegal membrane has many minute orange spots, pectoral fin with 2 rows (total 7-9 spots) of orange to red orange spots; caudal fin with distally orange zone with about 3 vertical rows of orange or orange red spots; first dorsal fin with broad orange band on distally 1/3 area; with a middle black spot in front of the third spine of first dorsal fin in both sexes (Ref. 127454).