[1] Boesemania was first proposed as a monospecific genus in 1977 by the English ichthyologist Ethelwynn Trewavas with Johnius microlepis, which had been described in 1858 by Pieter Bleeker from Palembang on Sumatra, designated as its type species and its only species.

The mouth is terminal, a little oblique and the upper jaw reaches back as far as the posterior edge of the eye.

[8] Boesemania microlepis lives in the mainland Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, and Thailand) as well as in Sumatra (Indonesia).

During this time, common to other croakers, it can be heard to make loud, continuous, croaking sounds.

[1][3] Desired as food, and expensive in southern Laos, Thailand and northeast Cambodia, this species has become increasingly threatened due to overfishing.