Diagnostic characters: Lips fleshy, moderately swollen with age. Chin with 6 pores but no median pit. Total gill rakers on first gill arch 19 to 23 (6 to 8 on upper limb, 1 at corner, and 13 to 16 on lower limb). Dorsal fin with IX or X spines and 20 to 24 soft rays. Scales ctenoid (rough to touch). Lateral line with about 54 to 73 tubed scales. Colour: adults blue-grey with bright yellow to golden orange spots sometimes forming lines on head; inside mouth bright orange to red; dorsal fins bordered with black; anal
and pelvic fins tipped with black; juveniles dark brown to black above, divided into 3 or more broad longitudinal stripes by narrower pearl blue interspaces; silvery yellow below; dorsal and caudal fins yellow with black patches and broken stripes; stripes increase with age and break up into small rounded spots before fading on body and sometimes on caudal fin.