Marine; reef-associated; depth range 100 - 330 m . Tropical; 35°N - 35°S, 24°E - 150°W

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 110 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 79.0 cm SL male/unsexed; ; max. published weight: 11.3 kg

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10 - 11; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 8. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body elongate and laterally compressed; lower jaw protruding; premaxillae not protrusible, fixed by a frenum; teeth in jaws are extremely small, minute in large adults; roof of mouth toothless; maxilla without scales or longitudinal ridges; interorbital region flattened; gill openings extending far anterior to orbit; gill rakers on first gill arch 16 - 19 + 32-35 = 49-52; last soft ray of both dorsal and anal fins well produced, longer than next to last ray; caudal fin forked; D X,11 (occasionally 10); membranes of dorsal and anal fins without scales; tubed lateral-line scales 69-75. Colour of body blue-grey or mauve to overall reddish; margin of maxilla black; in some specimens, at least, inside of mouth, gill chamber, and gills shining silver; fins yellowish to reddish except pelvic and anal fins sometimes whitish . Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: oval.