Body high, rhomboidal (height ~ 50% of SL), compressed; upper head profile steep, ~ straight; lower profile of head distinctively concave; mouth highly extensible, pointing downward when protruded; 12-13 lower gill rakers; lower border of preopercle serrated; bone under front of eye with serrated border; teeth inside throat all pointed; dorsal fin IX, 8, elevated at front, 2nd spine longer than distance between tip of snout and rear of eye; anal fin III, 8, 2nd anal spine thick, long, a little shorter than 2nd dorsal spine; pectoral long (length ~ equal to head length), reaches almost to line through anal origin; tail forked; scales large, conspicuous and finely rough, covering most of head and body; dorsal and anal fins fold into a high scaly sheath along their bases.
Body silver, darker on back; thin dark lines along scale rows very evident on upper 1/2 of body; fins dark, spiny dorsal with thin black margin; inside pectoral base not dark.
Size: 32 cm.
Habitat: coastal areas, soft bottoms and in estuaries.
