Specimens of the species were collected from fish markets on Panay and Cebu islands in the Visayas region of the Philippines.

The fish has two protrusions from the bony area of the clavicle.

[2] Its called papillated redbait, or its actual name, emmelichthys papillatus.

It got the name papillated redbait from the feature that made it different from all the other fish.

The fish has two prominent fleshy papillae, and has fewer fins along it sides and less gill rakers.