Body with subequal stripes of brownish red and silvery white; spinous dorsal dark red with a large, quadrangular, whitish blotch in middle of each membrane (except the first) forming a median band; dorsal membrane tips white, except posteriorly (Ref. 4201). Five oblique scale rows on cheek; body depth 2.5-2.8 in SL; head length (HL) 2.65-2.85 in SL; short and blunt snout, its length 4.25-4.7 in HL; interorbital width 4.5 in HL; mouth terminal to slightly inferior, maxilla usually extending nearly to or a short distance beyond a vertical through center of eye, upper jaw length 2.5-2.75 in HL; premaxillary groove often ending above anterior edge of orbit; anterior end of nasal bone with a blunt spine; surface or medial edge of nasal bone spineless; nasal fossa usually without spinules on its edge; upper edge of 1st suborbital bone with a slightly retrorse lateral spine a short distance posterior to a vertical at front edge of eye, followed by a ridge of recumbent spinules; preopercular spine usually about 2/3 orbit diameter, 3.2-5.3 in HL; 3rd-5th dorsal spines subequal, longest in adults 1.9-2.3 in HL; 3rd anal spine 1.35-1.6 in HL (Ref. 27370).
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