The body has an ovoid shape. The interorbital region is broad and concave, being wider in males compared to females. Maxilla reaches to or slightly beyond the anterior margin of the lower eye. The upper jaw has biserial teeth and the pectoral fin on the eyed side has 8–10 rays which are longer in males than females. Males have a robust rostral spine and smaller spines around the orbits with the eye of adult males featuring a broad flap on the posterior margin. Scales are mostly cycloid on the eyed side and cycloid on the blind side. The eyed side is brown with numerous dark spots, including a dark brown blotch above the junction of the straight and curved portions of the lateral line and another on the middle of the straight section of the lateral line. Margin of the caudal fin is blackish and the pectoral fin on the eyed side has faint crossbars.