[2] It was named in honour of Dr R. P. Dollfus who led an expedition to Egypt in 1928–1929 and who brought back some specimens of this fish which he mistakenly identified as Uranoscopus affinis.

The head is bony and somewhat flattened, with and eyes set near the top and an upturned mouth, fringed with papillae.

The dorsal fin is divided into two parts and has four spines and twelve to fourteen soft rays.

There are reddish bony ridges on the head and the spinous dorsal fin is black with a white base.

The tentacle on its lower jaw can be waved around to act as a lure, and it then snaps at any small fish that come close enough.