Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 10 - 120 m . Subtropical; 35°N - 27°S, 32°E - 168°E

Maturity: Lm ?, range 14 - ? cm Max length : 22.5 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 18.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; max. reported age: 5 years

Dorsal spines (total): 8; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 1; Anal soft rays: 7. This species is distinguished by the following characters: D VIII,9; pectoral fins 14-16; gill rakers 7-8 + 18-20 = 26-27; lateral line scales 33-35; body depth at first dorsal-fin origin 24-26% SL and at anus 21-23% SL; caudal-peduncle depth 9.0-10% SL; maximum head depth 20-22% SL; head depth through eye 16-17% SL; head length 27-29%SL; orbit length 7.3-8.9% SL; upper jaw length 11-12% SL; barbel length 15-17% SL; caudal-fin length 27-30% SL; anal-fin height 13-15% SL; pelvic-fin length 17-22% SL; pectoral-fin length 25-27% SL; first dorsal-fin height 20-23% SL; second dorsal-fin height 14-16% SL; 6-8 thin, red caudal fin bars on upper lobe (faintly retained when preserved), none on lower lobe but with a red broad band covering the entire lobe apart from the distal, inner margin, the latter somewhat darker (most of which are lost in preserved fish); one mid-lateral body stripe yellow or gold from eye to upper caudal-fin base (not or faintly retained in preserved fish); dark first dorsal-fin tip (retained in preserved fish); white barbels; silvery-rose body, dorsally darkened above lateral stripe (pale brown, slightly darkened dorsally in preserved fish) . Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: circular.