The body is oval, compressed, and deep. The anterior part of the dorsal profile is more strongly arched than the anterior part of the ventral profile. The mouth points downward when protracted, and the gill rakers are short and fleshy, measuring less than half the length of the corresponding gill lamellae, with a total of 18 to 21 gill rakers on the first gill arch. The second dorsal and anal fin spines are greatly elongated, sometimes reaching the caudal fin. The head and breast are scaleless, and there are 64 to 70 tubed scales on the lateral line. In terms of coloration, the belly is more silvery than the back, which exhibits a few faint, unevenly spaced, and horizontally elongated blotches. There are a few yellow blotches below the lateral line, and the dorsal and anal fins feature yellow coloring, particularly on the margins. The caudal fin is faintly yellow with a more intense yellow blotch on the lower lobe, and the underside of the pectoral fin base has minute black dots.