Chionodraco hamatus was first formally described in 1905 as Chaenichthys rhinoceratus hamatus by the Swedish zoologist Einar Lönnberg with the type locality given as Snow Hill Island in Graham Land on the Antarctic Peninsula.

The overall colour is greyish on the upper body and whitish on the belly with 2 diagonal stripes on the cheek.

[2] Chionodraco hamatus is found in the cold waters of the continental shelf in Antarctica.

This species lives in the demersal zone, and can be found at a depth range of 4 to 600 metres.

[6] In common with many other channichthyid fishes, reproduction in Chionodraco hamatus involves laying eggs in a nest and parental guarding.