The body is highly deep and slightly compressed. Head is either equal to or smaller than the body depth. Small conical teeth are present in the jaws with no teeth on the roof of the mouth. The interpectoral process is single and small. Adipose eyelids cover the front and hind margins of the eye. Maxilla is covered by the lacrimal bone but extends almost to the end of the lacrimal. The gill rakers are very long and visible when the mouth is open, numbering 30–48 on the lower limb of the 1st gill arch. The spinous dorsal fin is yellowish with a black edge while the pectoral and pelvic fins are dusky and the other fins are yellowish.