Dorsal spines (total): 9; Dorsal soft rays (total): 18-20, posterior: 7-9 rays consisting of semi-detached finlets; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 16-17, posterior: 8-10 rays semi-detached; Gill rakers (including rudiments): 8-11 upper, 18-22 lower and 26-32 total on first gill arch; Shoulder girdle (cleithrum) margin smooth, without papillae. Lateral line strongly arched anteriorly, with junction of curved and straight parts below 4th or 5th spine of dorsal fin; Chord of curved part of lateral line contained: 3.6-4.7 times in straight part (to caudal base); Scales in curved part of lateral line: 21-28; Straight part: 51-59 very large scutes. Body elongate, subcilindrical, a little compressed posteriorly, and with caudal peduncle strongly compressed with a marked medial keel. Snout and lower jaw pointed with a single row of small teeth, except a narrow band anteriorly; Upper jaw extending posteriorly to centre of eye with small villiform teeth, outer teeth moderately enlarged. Eye moderate, with well developed adipose eyelid completely covering eye except for a vertical slit centred on pupil. Caudal peduncle strongly compressed with a marked medial keel. Adipose eyelid well developed, leaving a slit at middle of eye. Scales on straight lateral line totally developed into extremely deep scutes. Breast naked ventrally and laterally in a triangular area for about one third distance to pectoral fin base. Max. length: 80.0 cm TL, common length: 45.0 cm TL. Max. published weight: 4.0 kg; Max. reported age: 5 years. Depth range: 1 - 100 m.

Color
Head and body bluish to green dorsally, sides and belly silvery; Large black opercular spot. Dorsal and anal fins pale to yellow, distally dusky; Pectoral and pelvic fins pale, with upper half dusky. Caudal fin dark, especially leading and trailing edges of fin.