ABSTRACT
Body and head elongate and markedly compressed, the depth distinctly less than head length and contained 3.1–3.7 times in standard length (for fish 10–40 cm SL), the body width 2.3–2.8 times in the depth. Head pointed, its length contained 2.3–2.5 times in standard length; interorbital region narrow, dorsal head profile almost straight; preorbital narrow, its depth 14–17 times in head length; snout distinctly longer than eye; preopercle rounded, finely serrate, the lower serrae only slightly enlarged, the lower edge fleshy; ventral edge of interopercle with a shallow indentation; opercular spines small, the upper edge of operculum distinctly convex; diameter of posterior nostril about twice that of anterior nostril; maxilla reaches well past eye, the exposed part covered with tiny cycloid scales; no bony process on rear end of maxilla; supramaxilla well developed; no teeth on palatines; canines at front of jaws rudimentary or absent; teeth at sides of lower jaw subequal, in 2 or 3 irregular rows. Gill rakers 7–9 on upper limb, 14–17 on lower limb, the longest gill raker subequal to longest gill filaments. Dorsal fin with 11 spines and 14–16 rays, the fin origin over the opercle, the membranes distinctly incised between the spines; anal fin with 3 spines and 8 or 9 rays; soft dorsal and anal fins rounded; pectoral and pelvic fins small, subequal, their length contained 1.9–2.4 times in head length; pectoral fins thin, transparent and symmetrical; pelvic fins not reaching anus; caudal fin rounded, with 8 branched rays and in upper part and 7 branched rays in lower part. Midlateral-body scales ctenoid, with auxiliary scales; lateral-line scales 61–72; lateral-scale series 106–125.
