Description

Escal appendage pattern B; esca with a stout, internally pigmented anterior appendage bearing distally numerous tapering filaments, some of which may be twice length of escal bulb and darkly pigmented distally; a pair of highly branched, unpigmented, tapering medial escal filaments, two to nearly five times length of escal bulb in large specimens (81 mm); a short, rounded terminal escal papilla with a distal spot of pigment in specimens 57 mm and larger; and an unpigmented, tapering posterior escal appendage, nearly twice length of escal bulb, and usually bearing one or two small, unpigmented filaments at one-half to one-third distance from distal tip; lateral and anterolateral escal appendages absent.

Subopercle with posterior margin of dorsal end usually indented to deeply notched; length of ventral fork of opercle 28.6–35% SL; ratio of lengths of dorsal and ventral forks of opercle 0.55–0.60.

Epibranchial teeth absent; teeth present on pharyngobranchial II; total number of teeth in upper jaw 23–39, in lower jaw 24–40; number of teeth on vomer 4–8; dorsal-fin rays 6 or 7; anal-fin rays 4; pectoral-fin rays 15–18.

Measurements in percent of standard length: head length 37.6–49.1; head depth 39.1–50.8; premaxilla length 29.1–38.6; lower jaw length 44.1–56.1; illicial length 23.1–38.6.0.