Body ovate in young to sub-ovate in large adults and compressed; profile of snout broadly rounded, in adults becoming nearly straight to interorbital region. Both jaws with bands of small villiform teeth; gillrakers (including rudiments) 5 to 8 upper and 8 to 10 lower on first gill arch; 2 separate dorsal fins, the first with 6 short spines (the anterior spines often becoming completely embedded in large adults), followed by 1 spine and 18 to 20 soft rays; anal fin with 2 detached spines (becoming embedded in large adults), followed by 1 spine and 16 to 18 soft rays.