It is a tropical marine fish found in shallow coastal waters in the eastern Atlantic Ocean from Mauritania to Namibia.

The most frequent colours recorded are brown or even blue, green or orange tones, or intermediate shades.

The blue tones can be attributed to melanophores, which contain a type of melanin called eumelanin that generally absorbs light.

Other combinations of light reactive pigments such as erythrophores, and xanthophores create different patterns on mottled trumpetfish.

The most promising idea states that 1) Atlantic and Indian-Pacific forms were isolated through recent evolutionary history, giving rise to A. maculatus and A. chinensis and (2) The Indian-Pacific form subsequently invaded the East Atlantic, giving rise to A. strigosus.

It is possible that male members of A. strigosus use a brood pouch to fertilize eggs, as this behavior has been observed in other fish of the order Syngnathiformes.

Its main prey is bony fish and shrimp [9] but it is also thought to feed on other animals found on the substrate.

It has been well documented that prey species take longer to show avoidance behavior when the trumpetfish are shadowing than when swimming independently, demonstrating the effectiveness of this predation strategy.

While they perform this behavior, trumpetfish will often match up with other fish species that are similar to their own coloration in order to blend in more effectively.

[12] Adaptationally, this pattern is especially useful in locations with degraded reefs since there are fewer stationary objects for the trumpetfish to hide behind.

As reefs continue to degrade, due to climate change, this adaption will further aid in hunting for the trumpetfish.

[12] A. strigosus are frequent prey of ospreys Pandion haliaetus in Cape Verde Islands and possibly elsewhere within their range.

[15] Aulostomus strigosus is a demersal, coastal species that is found over rocky or coral substrates in inshore waters.

The current population trend of the Atlantic Trumpetfish is unknown, as well as whether mature individuals are in decline.

As with other reef fishes, the Atlantic Trumpetfish is threatened by climate change, which could cause habitat shifting and alteration as well as temperature extremes to occur.