Body slender, cylindrical. Dorsal fin single, anterior to middle of body. Adipose fin present. Photophore absent. Lateral line present, scales not enlarged. Pelvic fin abdominal, rays 8; the inner rays much longer than outer rays. Origin of anal fin much nearer to base of caudal fin than to insertion of pectoral fin, its base less than 18% of SL. Palatine teeth in a single row. Lateral-line scales 45〜52, predorsal scales 14〜17. Anterior dorsal rays not exceeding, but occasionally exceeding to tip of succeeding rays when depressed. Lower jaw round anteriorly, without fleshy knob on symphysis. Side of body with about 8 cross-bands, widest at lateral line and extending downward. A black patch on shoulder girdle.
Distribution:
Distributed from the Atlantic coast of North Carolina, U.S.A. to Brazil.
Remarks:
A similar fish S. poeyi differs from this species by the presence of fleshy knob on lower jaw symphysis, and absence of a black patch on shoulder. (Uyeno and Aizawa)