The body is subcylindrical and laterally compressed. The teeth in the jaws are small and villiform. The free edge of the dentary bone is nearly flat, lacking a posterior elevation. There are 18 to 25 gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch. The pectoral fins have 14 to 18 soft rays. Large scales cover the body, numbering 39 to 44 along the midlateral line. Predorsal scales range from 17 to 22 and interdorsal scales from 6 to 9. The body appears blue-green and translucent with iridescent silvery portions on the abdomen and head. The midlateral band is broader than a single scale row along the side, displaying a silvery color that often blends with the silvery abdomen on the anterior part of the body. The fins range from clear to dusky with pectoral fins frequently exhibiting a blackish blotch.