The body is sturdy, deep and somewhat compressed. Scales in front of the dorsal fin extend forward to the nostrils with two distinct sizes: very small scales in the anterior patch, sharply separated from larger posterior scales. The pectoral fin has 18 rays, with its length equal to or less than the head. Teeth in both jaws are small and conical, mostly arranged in a single row. Overall color pattern is brownish and mottled with several horizontal rows of dark spots on the sides. There is a noticeable dark band below the eye, and the dorsal, pelvic, anal and caudal fins are dark with the caudal fin having a yellowish wash. The pectoral fin is transparent with a yellowish base.