This fish has yellow eyes and its general color is grayish or yellowish-brown with about twelve vertical dark bars.

[4] The fish is named in honor of August Duméril (1812-1870), a herpetologist and ichthyologist, at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (Paris), who made the type specimen available to Hollard.

It is a common resident of coral reefs and likes to have rock crevices and caves to retreat into if disturbed.

[4] The fish lives around reefs down to depths of 70 m (230 ft), but usually staying in shallower waters and sometimes nearing the surface.

It is usually seen singly or in pairs and feeds on the tips of branching corals, algae, sponges, sea urchins, and molluscs.