| Diagnosis: |
Dorsal spines (total): 17-19; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8-9; Anal spines: 5-6; Anal soft rays: 6-7; Vertebrae: 30-32. Relatively stout, deep-bodied species, especially as adults (Ref. 52248). Head length 31.0-33.8% of standard length (Ref. 52248). Jaws are isognathous, but with lower lip sometimes protruding slightly; both outer and inner row teeth uniscupid and sharply pointed (Ref. 52248). Lower pharyngeal jaw is wider than long, and straight or slightly interdigitating along ventral suture; usually with 20-24 teeth in most posterior tooth row (Ref. 52248). Gill rakers are moderately elongate and non-denticulate (Ref. 52248). Spines in dorsal and anal fin are gradually increasing in length posteriorly; filamentous extensions of both fins are extending beyond caudal fin base (Ref. 52248). Caudal fin is moderately large and rounded rather than paddle shaped, never appearing subacuminate, with 14 branched rays (Ref. 52248). Pectoral fins are short, not reaching vertical through anus (Ref. 52248). Second pelvic fin ray is longest in fin in both sexes, but not reaching vertical through anus (Ref. 52248). Flank scales are large, ctenoid and regularly imbricating; cheek and chest naked, belly with small scales; nape predominantly scaleless to dorsal fin origin; dorsal and anal fins scaleless, small scales over proximal half of caudal fin (Ref. 52248). The base body coloration is light gray, with six wide, irregular, dark bars on flanks separated by thinner, whitish blotches (Ref. 52248). Dorsal, anal, and caudal fins are darkly pigmented, lacking obvious maculae; dorsal fin with light yellow margin, caudal fin with reddish margin restricted to dorsal edge (Ref. 52248). Preserved specimens are yellowish brown, with darker dorsal, anal and pelvic fins and head (Ref. 52248). Individual flank scales have a dark pigment distributed uniformly along exposed posterior margin, creating intersecting rows of thin, oblique bands of pigment that present the appearance of a chain-link fence or chain-mail (Ref. 52248). |
