Body ovoid, well compressed; caudal peduncle length 2/3 
to 4/5 its least depth, which 2 1/6 to 2 4/5 in total head. 
Head width 2 1/3 to 2 3/5 its length. Snout conic, upper 
profile concave, long as wide. Eye little elevated, hind edge 
midway in head length from snout tip, or slightly advanced with 
age. Mouth small, lower jaw slightly protrudes. Maxillary 
to pupil, in young, nearly opposite hind eye edge in adult. 
Teeth uniserial in jaws, 2 canines forward in each; lateral 
teeth following close set and form even cutting edge. Lips 
rather narrow, tough. Front nostril near middle in snout, hind 
one near last fourth, Interorbital convex. 
Rakers 7+13, lanceolate, 11/2 in filaments, which 2 in 
eye. Scales large, in even longitudinal rows, narrowly imbricated, 
but little smaller along vertical fin bases, where forming broad 
sheaths 1 scale:in width; 3 rows cf scales on caudal, median very 
large or squamation over 2/3 of fin in young; head covered with 
large scales, and 3 rows much enlarged between hind eye edge and 
hind opercle edge; subopercle and in teropercle scaly; snout 
naked, radiating striae 29 to 31 in young, much increased with 
age; apical striae 11 to 14 in young, SO or more in adults, and 
only defined from basal as extending over pigmented area; circull 
very fine; lateral line of simple slender tubes, some young with 
2 or 3 short branches, entirely Serrasted and extended in caudal 
base. First dorsal spine 4 1/4 (young) to 7 3/4 in head; last 
spine 2 1/6 (young) to 3 1/2; third anal spine 2 1/8 (young) to 
