This species is distinguished by the following set of characters: esca is variable in size, length 23-57% (mean 37%) of illicium length (including esca); short to moderately elongate illicium, not thick and fleshy, without dermal spinules, length 15-27% SL, 1.9-3.4 times in head length, its base adjacent upper jaw (pre-illicial length 1.2-3.2% SL); small eye, its diameter 4.8-7.1 times in head length; body is usually densely covered with prominent, close-set, globular or fleshy warts; skin with small, widely spaced, embedded, spiny scales and variably developed dermal flaps; unicuspid or bicuspid spinules, prostrate, their tips embedded or barely visible); second dorsal-fin rays 14-18 (mainly 16-17), fin base length 60-73 (mean 66)% SL; length of second dorsal-fin spine 1.1-1.6 times length of longest ray of second dorsal fin; anal-fin rays 6-9; pectoral-fin rays usually 8; body brownish with lighter and darker blotches and spots; blackish bar on caudal peduncle and caudal-fin base tha