The fish has an inferior mouth, and there are three pairs of mental pores, with the first pair close together and united by a crescent-shaped groove just behind the symphysis. Teeth are differentiated into large and small in both jaws. The anterior part of the dorsal fin has 10 spines, and there are 8–11 slender gill rakers on the lower limb of the first gill arch. Additionally, there are 10–13 scale rows above the lateral line to the origin of the dorsal fin and 17–21 scale rows below the lateral line to the origin of the anal fin. The swim bladder is carrot-shaped, with branched appendages along its entire lateral sides, and the anterior pair enters the head. In terms of coloration, the head and body dorsally have five irregular dark streaks that extend obliquely towards the lower flanks. The spinous dorsal fin is black, except for the base, which is pale. The soft dorsal fin has a black margin and a series of dark spots along the base. The pelvic and anal fins are pale to dusky.