[1] Sparus choerorynchus had been described in 1801 by Marcus Elieser Bloch and Johann Gottlob Theaenus Schneider with its type locality given as Japan.

The dorsal profile of the head to the front of the eyes may be convex, straight or concave and the slope of the snout varies from gradual to very steep.

The mouth is of moderate size and may extend as far back as the front of the orbit and it has molar-like or conical teeth in the sides of the jaws.

Emperors are silvery, grey, olive, greenish, bluish, tan, brown or reddish in colour, frequently marked with darker blotches or bars that can either be permanent or be shown in a reflection of the emotional state of the fish.

[5] These fishes are found in coastal waters on rocky and coral reefs, sandy areas, seagrass beds and mangroves as deep as 22 m (72 ft).