Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 60 m . Tropical; 31°N - 27°S, 31°E - 136°W

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 60.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed;

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 13 - 14; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8 - 9. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep to somewhat slender; greatest depth 2.6-3.0 in SL; preopercular notch and knob poorly developed; vomerine tooth patch crescentic, without a medial posterior extension; tongue smooth, no teeth; gill rakers of first gill arch 7 + 11-12 = 18-19 (including rudiments); caudal fin truncate to slightly emarginate; scale rows on back rising obliquely above lateral line. Colour generally whitish to pinkish with dusky scale margins; grey or brown on upper back and dorsal portion of head, a black spot, sometimes faint or absent, on back below anterior soft dorsal-fin rays (in juveniles, the spot is round and gradually shrinking and becoming horizontally elongate with increased growth); fins yellowish ( Ref. 9821, 90102).
Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: oval.