Body robust, compressed; large males with pronounced hump between eyes; snout pointed; a canine tooth at rear of top jaw, 2 pairs of strong canines at front of top and bottom jaws; dorsal fin XII, 10; anal fin III, 12; adult males with long filaments on tail fin lobes and prolonged rays posteriorly on dorsal and anal fins ; pectoral rays 17; lateral line unbroken, smoothly arched; scales large, 31 with pores on lateral line.
IP: reddish grading to yellow on posterior part of body and caudal fin; a pair of blackish stripes (may be broken) on upper half of side and individual scale margins brown to reddish; TP: bluish green with brown head (except lower jaw white) and narrow yellowish bar on middle of side; juveniles similar to IP but with yellow base color.
Maximum size to 76 cm, common to 35 cm.
Commonly seen on rocky reefs.
Depth: 5-75 m.
Central Baja California to the Gulf of California to northern Chile, including all the offshore islands.
