The banded drum has an anteriorly deep oval-shaped body that tapers toward a rounded tailThere are 7-9 dark bars on both sides of the body extending from the upper back and fades out at the belly. The fish has a blunt snout and a forward-facing mouth with a slight upward orientation when closed. The banded drum’s upper back is silver-blue/green or brown/tan, which fades to silver/white towards the belly. The base of the pectoral fins are dark while the base of the pelvic, anal, and tail fins exhibit a yellow tinge. The banded drum has a prominent lateral line that follows the curve of the body.