Aplodactylus punctatus was first formally described in 1832 by the French zoologist Achille Valenciennes with the type locality given as Valparaiso in Chile.

[1] The overall colour of this fish is olive green, fading ventrally, with the back and flanks having pale blotches, some of which create bars The body and the fins densely covered with small black spots, these sometimes merge to make short wavy lines.

It is found in the shallow coastal waters, the juveniles in tidal pools and the adults below the low tide mark, it is normally associated with the kelp Lessonia trabeculata,[1] at depths of to.

If the tissue eaten is reproductive, the grazing also act to reduce the amount of epiphytic algae on and around the sori.

There appears to be a positive link between the Zamba marblefish and the kelp occurring throughout their geographic distribution and the fish may function as a disperser of L.