The larger adult fish may develop thick, fleshy, lips and when caught individuals may show broad, vertical bars.

[2] The adults of Greenway's grunter are found in moderately to swiftly flowing streams in both clear and turbid water where there is a mixed substrate of sand and rock.

Its biology is little known, but in 1969 a collection of 100 specimens of this fish suggested that are found in fast flowing rapids where the water was green in colour and the visibility was as low as 30 centimetres (12 in).

[1] Greenway's grunter was first formally described in 1971 by Richard P. Vari with the type locality given as the Hann River at Moll Gorge in Western Australia.

[4] The generic name refers to the type locality while the specific name honours the American ornithologist James C. Greenway for his generous support of the American Museum of Natural History's Australian expedition on which the type was collected.