The juvenile form has a pair of spines near the base of the tail, like the surgeonfish, though they are lost in the adult.

The louvar was first formally described in 1810 by the French polymath Constantine Samuel Rafinesque with its type locality given as Sicily.

They also have long pelvic fins and teeth in the jaws, features that are lost as they change to adults.

[1] This is an oceanic or epipelagic species found near the surface or in deep water, down to 200 m (660 ft).

[10] The spawn from the late spring and throughout the summer[2] and each female may lay millions of small pelagic eggs.

[10] Studies of louvar anatomy indicates that they have evolved a highly complex system of red muscle akin to those of endothermic animals, of which there are very few known fish.