El izinhlanzi ezinemisila emithathu le yinhlanzi encane, cishe amasentimitha angama-20 cishe, ngomzimba ocindezelwe kahle namehlo amakhulu. I-operculum inezinsika ezintathu eziyisicaba kanti i-preopercle ekugcineni iyasindwa. Kunezikali eziphakathi kuka-36 no-39, ezinobukhulu obukhulu kulayini ohlangothini, ophelele futhi uphele lapho umsila uqala khona.
Ngaphandle kwabaphenyi, wonke amaphiko makhulu maqondana nomzimba, ngoba i-dorsal fin inendawo yesithathu ye-spiny enkulu ukwedlula yonke enye, futhi amaphiko we-pelvic abude kakhulu, ikakhulukazi kwabesilisa.
Umsila uqukethe ama-lobes amakwe kakhulu, awangaphansi made kunalawo aphezulu. Umbala wemisila emithathu uphakathi kwepinki no-orange, futhi inamaqembu amathathu aphuzi ahlukene ohlangothini ngalunye lwekhanda, elokuqala liwela iso lenhlanzi kanti amanye amabili ngezansi. Kwabesilisa, izeluleko zamaphiko ezinqeni ziphuzi, futhi ziba bomvu uma zishisa.
Izinhlobo ze inhlanzi enemisila emithathu iphila ezixhotsheni zamakhorali, iphakathi kuka-20 no-50 m ukujula, yize kwesinye isikhathi itholakala kuma-200. Iqoqwe emabhange okuqina okuguqukayo. Eduzane nobuso futhi ihlala emihumeni noma emigodini yento ethile. Umsebenzi wayo mkhulu ngesikhathi sokuhlwa kunaphakathi kwasemini. Idla nge-zooplankton, izilwane ze-epibenthic, nezinhlanzi ezincane.
Kuyinto a izinhlobo ze-hermaphrodite ezi-proterogynous. Kubukeka sengathi kukhona isigaba esithile sabaphathi phakathi kwabesilisa, okungenani ngenkathi yokuzala, lapho izimpi ezijwayele ukwenziwa phakathi kwabo zivamile. Izala ehlobo kanti amaqanda angama- planktonic.