Marine; brackish; demersal; non-migratory; depth range 30 - 80 m . Tropical; 20°N - 25°S, 94°E - 170°E

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 14.0 cm SL male/unsexed; ; common length : 9.0 cm SL male/unsexed;

Dorsal spines (total): 10; Dorsal soft rays (total): 9; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7. Suborbital spine absent. Preopercle with 3 transverse scale rows. Pectoral fins short, not reaching to anus. Pelvic fins moderately long, reaching to or just beyond anus. Upper lobe of caudal fin slightly longer than lower lobe. A line drawn up from the posterior edge of suborbital reaching the dorsal profile behind origin of dorsal fin. Axillary scale present. Color: Upper part of body pale silvery-rose, silvery below. Can be distinguished from N. balinensis by its shallower suborbital depth (4.1 to 6.7 in eye) and shorter pectoral fin. Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: oval.