Head pointed, compressed; tip of snout broadly rounded, extending a little beyond mouth; mouth small, extendible, opens at front; top lip folded down; eye small (~ ½ snout length); anal origin under rear of first dorsal; gill rakers rounded, without serrations on inner surface, 20-25; jaw teeth with forked tips, in single row; 1st dorsal V-IX spines, origin over or a little behind anus; last ray of 2nd dorsal over last 3 rays of anal; pelvics inserted a little closer to anus than top corner of pectoral base; pectorals reach to pelvic origin; two rows of scales under eye; 5-8 scales between two dorsal fins.
Green back, bright stripe on flank, silvery below.
Size: 37 cm.
Habitat: coastal bays, over muddy bottoms and algal beds.
Depth: 0-26 m.
Temperate eastern Pacific; Canada to southern Baja and the upper Gulf of California.
