Fins - D1 - IV, first spine filamentous in males and females (less in females) extending to base of 9th ray of D2; 2nd spine slightly extending; D2 - 16(14-16); pectoral 19(19-21); anal - 14(12-14)

Head - Maxilla extends past eye about eye diameter; interorbital narrow less than 1/2 eye diameter;

Papillae - A longitudinal pattern with very small papillae; row a and c present

Color - Preserved color: males dusky brown, somewhat lighter towards middle line of belly, the pigment dots on head much coarser and more widely spaced than those on sides of body. A faint vertical dark line below the eye. Pectorals, ventrals, dorsals, and upper half of caudal fin translucent, with dusky rays. Anal black, its upper half transulcent, strongly contrasting. In life upper half of caudal is yellow.
Females are lighter and less uniform in coloration. The ground color is light olive, the upper part of the head and the dorsal region finely mottled with brown, the sides of body with narrow streaks following the lines which separate the myotomes. The dorsal fins have translucent membranes, lower half translucent or faintly shaded, the coloration of the two halves never sharply distinguished as in the males; there is a faint submarginal dusky streak, better defined on upper half of fin; the margin is narrowly translucent or whitish. The basal 2/3 of anal fin is dusky, more intense toward middle of fin, the marginal third translucent or whitish. The pectorals and ventrals are translucent, the former with dusky rays, the latter unmarked. (G&S1904)

Distribution - East Pacific - Costa Rica and Panama

Habitat - upper sandy beach

Notes -