The fish has an oval body with simple holes for front and rear nostrils. Large adults develop a groove from the front of the eye to the nostrils and another behind the eye. The mouth is relatively large and protractile, with conical to caniniform teeth, and the front teeth are generally enlarged and fang-like. There is a diamond-shaped tooth patch at the central roof of the mouth, with or without a moderate-sized rear extension, and the sides of the roof of the mouth have one tooth patch. The fish has 16-17 gill rakers, a serrated preopercle with a notched lower margin, and dorsal rays X, 13-14, forming a continuous dorsal fin. The anal fin has III, 8 rays, with the soft dorsal fin having a rounded end and the soft anal fin having a pointed end. The tail has a concave edge, and the bases of the soft dorsal and anal fins are scaly. Scale rows on the upper back rise obliquely above the lateral line. The fish is reddish to pink with a silvery sheen.