With 8 or 9 regular vertical darker brown bars on side. The only grouper in the Caribbean with a pattern of regular dark bars (Ref. 26938). Further distinguished by the following characteristics: head and body buff; blackish brown pelvic fins; prominent blackish brown maxillary streak on the cheek along upper edge of the maxilla; depth of body contained 2.4-2.9 times in SL; head length 2.3-2.5 times in SL; convex interorbital area; rounded preopercle angle, with enlarged serrae, 1-2 small serrae at lower edge, just in front of the angle; serrate interopercle and subopercle; posterior nostrils greatly enlarged, diameter is 4 or more times larger than anterior nostrils (Ref. 89707).