Marine; brackish; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 150 m , usually 10 - 137 m . Tropical; 25°C - 28°C ; 31°N - 32°S, 30°E - 122°W

Maturity: Lm 45.0  range ? - ? cm Max length : 75.0 cm FL male/unsexed; ; common length : 50.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; max. reported age: 44 years

Dorsal spines (total): 6; Dorsal soft rays (total): 26 - 29; Anal spines: 2; Anal soft rays: 27 - 30. This species is distinguished by the following characters: body moderately deep and compressed, its depth 2.6 to 3.2 times in standard length (SL); dorsal profile of body uniformly convex, without any bony horn-like projection or protuberance anteriorly on head; mouth small; incisiform teeth very small, somewhat pointed, finely serrate on edges, as many as 80 in upper jaw and 100 in lower jaw of large adults; continuous unnotched D VI (rarely V or VII),26-29; A II,27-30; pectoral-fin rays 17-18 (usually 17); pelvic fins I,3; caudal fin slightly emarginate in young, becoming truncate in adults; caudal peduncle slender, subcylindrical, with a pair of bony plates on each side that develop large sharp antrorse keels with age; body colour dark brownish grey, shading ventrally to yellowish (life colour may vary from dark brown to light blue-grey); edge of operculum and preopercle usually dark brown; dorsal and anal fins yellowish with faint diagonal brown bands and a blue margin; tongue black at lengths of 25 cm or more . Body shape (shape guide): fusiform / normal;  Cross section: compressed.