The fish is identified by having XIV spines and 13 rays in the dorsal fin, II spines and 14 rays in the anal fin, and 19 pectoral-fin rays. The lateral line is single and interrupted, with 18–19 lateral-line scales. The body color ranges from olive to dark brown when freshly caught, with a dark brown premaxilla. Adult individuals typically exhibit a mostly yellow iris with a narrow bronze eye ring around the pupil. The maxilla extends to the anterior end of the pupil, and the lower jaw is longer than the upper jaw. The teeth are incisiform to conical, uniserial posteriorly and biserial anteriorly. The tongue is triangular with a rounded tip, positioned far back in the mouth. The gill rakers are cylindrical and long, with the longest ones on the lower limb near the angle, measuring about two-thirds the length of the longest gill filament. The nostril is rounded, located level with the lower edge of the pupil, about midway between the anterior edge of the eye and the upper lip. The opercle ends posteriorly with a flat spine. Scales are present on the snout up to the level of the nostrils or beyond, with no scales on the preorbital and suborbital areas. An axillary scale is present above the base of the pelvic fin. There is a single scale row on the preopercle behind the eye, and three rows of scales are present on the preopercle below the eye. The pectoral-fin base lacks a black spot.