Diagnostic characters Body oblong, compressed ; dorsal profile moderately convex anteriorly, ventral profile only slightly convex ; postorbital head length contained 6.4 to 8.2 time in fork length in specimens larger than 15 cm fork length . Adipose eyelid well developed , moderate anteriorly , posterior eyelid extends onto eye to rear border of pupil. End of upper jaw extends to beyond posterior margin of eye. Upper jaw with outer row of strong canines widely spaced in adults, and an inner band of small villiform teeth , widest at symphysis ; on lower limb of first gill arch jaw with a single row of strong conical teeth widely spaced in adults. Gill rakers [includind rudiment ] 6 to 8 on upper limb and 15 -19 on lower limb of first gill arch [ total 21 to 25 ] . Two separate dorsal fin, the first with VIII spines, the second with I spine and 19 to 22 soft rays ; anal fin with II detached spines followed by I spine and 14 to 17 soft rays ; total soft dorsal-and anal fin ray 33 to 39 ;dorsal-fin lobe contained 5 to 6.6 times in fork length in specimens larger than 15 cm fork length. Straight part of lateral line with 0 to 3 anterior scales followed by 27 to 36 strong scutes . Breast completely scaly. Vertebrae 10 + 15
Colour in life ,adult with head and body silvery olive to iridescent blue – green above ,silvery olive to whitish below ; small blackish spot , much smaller than pupil diameter , at upper angle of operculum [ this spot evident on specimens of about 14 cm fork length ] ; second dorsal fin olive to blackish , the lobe with a white tip [ white tip become s more obvious with increasing size ] ; anal and caudal fins yellowish to black ; lateral – line scute dark to black. In juveniles and young adult , head ,body , and scute more silvery and fins paler [ grey to yellow ] except upper half of dorsal-fin lobe and upper lobe of caudal fin usually dark.