The preorbital bone is about equal in width to the eye diameter. Vomerine teeth on the roof of the mouth are arranged in a V-shaped patch without a medial posterior extension, and the tongue is toothless. Scale rows on the back rise obliquely above the lateral line. The anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays, and there are 16–20 gill rakers on the 1st gill arch. The coloration includes a grey to brown back and sides, often with a series of narrow yellow or golden-brown stripes. The belly and underside of the head are whitish, and the caudal fin is blackish, while the dorsal and caudal fins have a narrow white border. The pelvic and anal fins are yellowish.