Dendrochirus brachypterus was first formally described in 1829 as Pterois brachyptera by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with no type locality given.

[4] The specific name means "short-finned", an allusion to the relatively short pectoral fins compared to Dendrochirus zebra which Cuvier first described in the same publication.

[2] The background colour is dusky mottled brown to reddish-brown broken by darker bars on the body.

[6] There are black spots edged with red on the filaments extending from the dorsal spines and there are 8-10 dark bars on pectoral fins.

[1] In Australian waters, this species occurs from the Houtman Abrolhos in Western Australia to Sydney in New South Wales, as well as Lord Howe Island in the Tasman Sea.