The lip is distinctly papillose and the upper jaw is highly protractile. The lobe of the 2nd dorsal fin is shorter. In terms of coloration, juveniles and young adults display a silvery to yellow color with 7–11 black bands, typically alternating between broad and narrow bands with the first band oblique through the eye. The upper margin of the opercle is black and all fins are yellow while the tips of the caudal fin lobes are black. As individuals mature, the bands fade, giving way to a few patches or spots on the sides. The dark opercular spot also diminishes with age and the body takes on a yellow-green color dorsally and a pale yellow shade below.