The fish has an oval, deep, and strongly compressed body with a convex preorbital bone lacking strong spines. There is one prominent spine at the angle of the preopercle, and the ventral edge of the interopercle is serrated. The moderately small eye is terminal, and the mouth is small, protractile, with the gape not extending to the anterior rim of the orbit. Scales on the middle of the body have a focus before or just on the anterior margin of the exposed portion. The dorsal fin has XIII spines and 18-20 soft rays, with the posterior corner rounded in adults. The anal fin has III spines and 18 soft rays, and the caudal fin is rounded. Adults are yellowish-tan with five black bars on the sides, scales featuring blue spots in the middle, and a blackish head with a white bar behind the eye, running from below the origin of the dorsal fin to the lower edge of the operculum. The caudal and posterior portions of the dorsal and anal fins exhibit blue spots. Juveniles are blackish with about 15 curved narrow blue and white bars on the sides.