This is a small fish with a moderately deep body. The swim bladder is carrot-shaped, featuring 24 to 30 pairs of branched appendages. Each appendage has a dorsal and a ventral limb, arranged in a regular pattern. The twiglets of the dorsal limb point backward, while those near the tip of the ventral limb point forward. The lateral line scales extend to the tip of the caudal fin. The linings of the mouth, gill chamber, and body cavity are black.