Diagnosis: mouth inferior; body depth 2.6-3.4x and head length 4.0-5.4x SL; caudal peduncle length <= its depth; eye diameter 3.5 (juveniles)-5.7x head length; 11-12 scales between lateral line and scaly process at bases of pelvic fins; juveniles with numerous small, dark, eye-sized, spots on sides (Ref. 2936, 86396). No round humeral spot, no vertical bars (Ref. 81638). 73-86 (Ref. 81638) or 75-86 (Ref. 86396) lateral line scales. 14-16 (Ref. 81638) or 15.5-16.5 (Ref. 86396) scales between dorsal fin and lateral line. 20-28 (Ref. 81638) or 22-27 (Ref. 86396) total dorsal fin rays. 13-17 (Ref. 81638) or 13-16 (Ref. 86396) total anal fin rays.

Description: round snout (Ref. 2936, 86396). Mouth with 2 rows of bicuspid teeth in each jaw; premaxilla with 8-9, dentary with 8-10 teeth in outer row, maxilla edentulous; ventral surface slightly convex to anal fin origin; caudal fin lobes pointed, scales covering somewhat more than ¾ of fin in smaller individuals and extending nearly to distal margin of fin in larger specimens; scales ctenoid and small; lateral line scales to slightly beyond hypural joint and followed by smaller, variably pored scales; D: III-IV,17-24 with first unbranched ray very short; A: III-IV,10-13; 10-12 scales between anal fin origin and lateral line (Ref. 81638). Pelvic fins inserted at level of 5th or 6th dorsal-fin ray and not reaching anal-fin origin (Ref. 2936, 86396).

Coloration: body generally gray, darker on back lighter on belly (Ref. 2936, 86396). Preserved specimens brown; head and body darker dorsally; flanks with variably obvious, dark spots somewhat smaller than orbit; smaller specimens with horizontally elongate, dark spot on posterior portion of caudal peduncle and basal portions of middle caudal fin rays; fins dusky with variably developed, small, dark spots on dorsal fin; scaled portion of caudal fin typically darker than unscaled portion (Ref. 81638). Upper portion of eye reddish; juveniles with one orange spot followed by one black spot on lateral line at level of pectorals (Ref. 2936, 86396).