Body height ~ 45% of SL; head length ~ 30% of SL; eyes on left side, separated by a flat space without a ridge; mouth long, 44% of head length, ends under rear of eye; teeth are large canines, especially at front of mouth; 21-26 gill rakers; dorsal fin begins over upper eye, 65-75; anal fin 54-59; bases of pelvics symmetric; urinary papilla on eye side, immediately behind level of anus; lateral line scales 95-112; eye-side scales rough, large fish with small accessory scales between larger body scales; blind side scales smooth; lateral line extending onto head, with branches to upper eye and below lower eye, strongly arched over pectoral fin.
Eye side brown to grey, with or without pale and dark spots and blotches, fins lighter than body, unpaired ones marked like body, pectoral and pelvic with small dark spots, often in rows on pectoral.
