The body is compressed and relatively deep, with the greatest depth at the origin of the dorsal fin. The area between the pelvic fins is flat. The head is large and moderately deep. The maxilla is broad, and the snout is blunt and short. Mouth is positioned superiorly. The upper lip is close to the anterior nares, separated from the snout and the jaws are strong and oblique. Teeth on both jaws are small, villiform, conical and sparsely arranged. Smaller specimens have small caniniform palatine teeth (absent in larger specimens) and the tongue is short. The eyes are moderately large and the interorbital space is narrow. Both the dorsal and anal fins are single and firm.