Longspine Emperor has moderately elongate and slender body; head profile near eye slightly convex; outer surface of maxilla with a distinct knob; longest first or second anal-fin soft ray and inner surface of pectoral fin axil covered with small scales. Its body is tan or brown on upper sides, lower sides white with 3 brown or tan stripes, sides often with scattered irregular black oblique bars and a square black blotch above pectoral fins and bordering below lateral line; tan or brown head sometimes with several broad and pale fins, speckled with small white blotches. It can found in shallow coastal waters.