Brachypterois serrulata was first formally described in 1846 as Sebastes serrulatus by the Scottish naval surgeon, Arctic explorer and naturalist John Richardson with the type locality given as off Dong Kang in Picgtung in southern Taiwan.

The head is marked with 5 bands which are coloured dark red to black with the first of these running from the front margin of the eye over the snout and ending at the tip of the lower jaw.

The background colour of the fins is a similar the pinkish to reddish brown of the head and body.

The pectoral fins are darker towards their tips and have between 6 and 10 thin diagonal narrow dark red bands.

[3] Brachypterois serrulata is found in the north western Pacific Ocean from the Gulf of Thailand to southern Japan, including the South China Sea and Taiwan.