The preorbital bone is very narrow, approximately half of the eye diameter. Scale rows on the back are parallel to the lateral line. The preopercular notch and knob are poorly developed. Vomerine teeth on the roof of the mouth form a triangular patch with a short, median posterior projection. The tongue has a patch of granular teeth, and there are 16–21 gill rakers on the 1st gill. The body is grey-brown dorsally, with the edges of the scales darker than the centers. It shades to silvery grey on the sides and ventrally, and there are 4–5 narrow yellow stripes on the body below the lateral line. The fins are yellow.