The initial dorsal fin spine is integrated with the body armor plate and lacks a flexible spinous ray at its tip. The interorbital space features a groove which extends to the crown of the head and the sutures of lateral plates have serrations. Postorbital part of the head is equal to or more than half the distance from the operculum to the base of the pectoral fins. In terms of coloration, the fish is silvery with a dark lateral streak running the length of the body and 7–8 silvery crossbars on the ventral plates.