The dorsal fin contains 8 spines and 13 soft rays while the anal fin has 3 spines and 7 soft rays. The membranes between the dorsal fin spines are deeplyncised and the spines have fleshy, scale covered bases. The caudal fin is truncate. There are 47-49 scales in the lateral line, which curves upwards underneath the soiny part of the dorsal in and then downwards below the soft-rayed part. The background colour of the head, body, dorsal and caudal fins is yellow and there are 6-7 pink stripes running horizontally from the head to the soft-rayed part of the dorsal fin and the caudal fin. There is a bright red blotch on the anterior part of the anal fin and a white blotch on the side of the belly. The pelvic fins are pinkish purple in colour. This species attains a maximum total length of 30 centimetres (12 in). The Spanish flag occurs in the Western Atlantic Ocean in the Gulf of Mexico where its range extends as far north as Louisiana and the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary, the Florida Keys, the Bahamas and northwestern Cuba south to Quintana Roo ion Mexico and the Bay Islands of Honduras. They are also found off Santa Marta in Colombia, east along the South American coast to Venezuela and south to Vitória, Espírito Santo and Trinidade island. Vagrants have been recorded as far north as North Carolina.
