This species is distinguished by the following characters: upper jaw posterior very broad, extends to level of middle of pupil; gill rakers (excluding rudiments) decreasing slightly in number with growth, 6-9 + 18-20 = 24 -29 in 2-7 cm FL individuals, but 22-26 in fish larger than 20 cm FL; length of dorsal-fin lobe about 1.3 to 1.6 times longer than pectoral fins and 18 to 22% of fork length; caudal peduncle with dorsal and ventral grooves present; first pterygiophore of anal fin straight in specimens larger than about 10 cm fork length. Colour: dorsal brown or silvery blue-green to olivaceous, ventral paler or silvery with brassy or lavender reflections, with yellow midlateral stripe usually present, and an oblique, dark yellowish brown band from nape through eye to edge of upper lip, the nuchal bar often persistent in adults (may be absent); juveniles (2-18 cm fork length) with dark nuchal bar and 6 dark body bars, each with a light narrow irregular area through their centre vertically, that do not extend into the membranes of the second dorsal and anal fins, and a seventh bar at the end of caudal peduncle; fins dark or yellowish grey except pelvic fins, white ventrally