The sailfin rubberlip has adults and subadults which are overall silvery grey, although they may be marked with many dark brown or black dots on head and back when they are over 30 to 100 cm (12 to 39 in) in length.

Smaller subadults have slightly larger orange-brown spots scattered on the upper part of the head, body and caudal peduncle.

It occurs along the African coast from Kenya to South Africa, in Madagascar, the Comoros Islands and the Seychelles.

[4] The sailfin rubberlip was first formally described in 1830 by the French zoologist George's Cuvier with the type locality given as the Seychelles.

[6] The specific name “centurio” is derived from “centurion”, the Roman legionary officer, a reference to the local French colonial name of capitaine in the Seychelles.