Body deep and compressed. Body depth 2.3 in SL. Posterior edge of upper jaw reaching to below anterior margin of eye. Two pores and a median groove on chin. Preopercle finely serrated with no enlarged spines on lower posterior angle. Lips thick. Teeth on both jaws conical, the outer series enlarged. Eye moderately large, its diameter 4.3 in head length. Basal parts of soft dorsal and anal fins covered with scales. Caudal fin emarginate. Body dark silver; each scale of body with a dark central spot; anterior part of body much darker than the posterior; spiny dorsal fin gray, other fins dusky.
Distribution:
From Florida through Bahamas to Brazil.
Remarks:
This species is distinguishable from A. virginicus by no dark bands on the anterior part of the body.