Description thumb|left|For sale at a fish market in Pretoria The panga has the area between the eyes and the flange on the preoperculum scaled. The lower jaw has 2 rows of molar-like teeth. The dorsal fin has 12 spines and 10 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays. There is a scaly sheath at the base of the soft rayed parts of both the dorsal and anal fin but no scales on the soft rayed part of these fins. The compressed body is ovoid in shape with a depth that fits into its standard length 2.3 to 2.5 times. The dorsal profile of the head is smoothly convex and the eye is large with the rear edge of the preorbital bone having a wave-like shape and is not covered by the scales of the cheek. The overall colour of the body is red or pink, lighter in colour on the lower body, with 5 or 6 indistinct bluish, horizontal lines underneath the lateral line. This species has a maximum total length of , although is more typical.
description thumb|left|for sale at a fish market in pretoria the panga has the area between the eyes and the flange on the preoperculum scaled the lower jaw has 2 rows of molar-like teeth the dorsal fin has 12 spines and 10 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 8 soft rays there is a scaly sheath at the base of the soft rayed parts of both the dorsal and anal fin but no scales on the soft rayed part of these fins the compressed body is ovoid in shape with a depth that fits into its standard length 23 to 25 times the dorsal profile of the head is smoothly convex and the eye is large with the rear edge of the preorbital bone having a wave-like shape and is not covered by the scales of the cheek the overall colour of the body is red or pink lighter in colour on the lower body with 5 or 6 indistinct bluish horizontal lines underneath the lateral line this species has a maximum total length of  although is more typical