Body deep, compressed, back high; head short, blunt; mouth small, low, ~ horizontal, lips fleshy; inside mouth not red; teeth in bands on jaws, outer ones larger, conical, none on center roof of mouth; a pair of conspicuous pores plus a central groove under the chin; preopercle finely serrated; dorsal continuous but deeply notched, 4th spine longest, XI, 14; anal III, 9-10, 2nd spine long and thick; longest dorsal spine and 2nd anal spine < ½ head length; pectoral fins very short, not reaching tip of pelvic; tail forked; scales moderate to large, rough, over entire body and head except front of snout, lips and chin, on membranes between dorsal and anal soft rays; lines of scales above lateral line in rows parallel to lateral line; lateral-line scales 45-48.
Whitish to dusky pale grey with 4-5 blackish bars on body and head (bars quickly disappear after death); soft dorsal and soft part of anal fin dusky blackish.
Size: to at least 30 cm.
Habitat: inshore waters on sandy or muddy bottoms, also enters estuaries and rivers.
