Pachymetopon grande was first formally described in 1859 by the German-born British herpetologist and ichthyologist Albert Günther with its type locality given as the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.

[4] The genus Pachymetopon is placed in the family Sparidae within the order Spariformes by the 5th edition of Fishes of the World.

[7] Pachymetopon grande has a rather rotund, deep body which has a standard length that is 2 to 2.3 times its depth.

[8] Pachymetopon grande is an omnivore which grazes on algae and benthic invertebrates, juveniles feed on crustaceans to a greater extend than the adults.

As a slow growing, late maturing, long lived, sedentary species this fish is vulnerable to overexploitation and there appears to have been a marked decline in numbers.