The head and flanks have transverse silvery streaks and the base of the dorsal and anal fins have a black bar which is sometimes reduced to a spot.

[3] Aulostomus maculatus is widespread throughout the tropical waters of the western Atlantic Ocean from Florida to Brazil including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico.

[3] It will also hang vertically among gorgonians or drift with the current, capturing any prey that swims underneath it by sucking them into the mouth which has elastic tissues to allow it to open as wide as the diameter of its body.

Recorded prey include ocean surgeon (Acanthurus bahianus), blue chromis (Chromis cyanea), tomtate grunt (Haemulon aurolineatum), French grunt (Haemulon flavolineatum), longspine squirrelfish (Holocentrus rufus), downy blenny (Labrisomus kalisherae), dusky blenny (Malacoctenus gilli), redlip blenny (Ophioblennius atlanticus), rusty reefgoby (Priolepis hipoliti), spotted goatfish (Pseudupeneus maculatus), reef squirrelfish (Sargocentron coruscum), yellowtip damselfish (Stegastes pictus), and Bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum).

[1] The global decline of coral reefs and seagrass beds, and especially those occurring in the Caribbean is a threat to this species, as is predation by invasive lionfish, Pterois volitans and P. miles which prey on smaller specimens.