Body highly compressed, elongate, oval, tapers to pointed tail; small close-set eyes on left side, pupils without covers; snout rounded; mouth small, curved, strongly so on blind side; margin of preoperculum concealed by skin and scales; dorsal origin ~ above upper eye; dorsal rays 98-109; anal rays 82-92; dorsal and anal fins confluent with the pointed tail fin; only left pelvic fin present, 4 rays, on body midline, joined to anal fin by delicate membrane; pectoral fins absent, represented by a fine membrane; tail with 12 rays; no lateral line; scales rough, on both sides of body; small rough scales present on blind side dorsal and anal fin rays; scales in longitudinal series 91-104.
Light brown with 5-8 darker brown cross bars; a blackish blotch on lower opercle; dorsal and anal fins pale to dark brown, darker at rear; lining of gut cavity unpigmented.
