The head occupies about one quarter of the total length of the fish, it has a slender body and long tapering tail.

The snout is pointed and the small mouth is set far back on the lower side of the head with a short barbel underneath.

[2][3] The roughhead grenadier is found in the North Atlantic Ocean at depths between 200 and 2,000 metres (660 and 6,560 ft) and water temperatures below 5.4 °C (41.7 °F).

The diet includes small fish, shrimps, amphipods, polychaete worms, bivalve molluscs, isopods, brittle stars, other echinoderms and comb jellies.

The eggs are laid in batches and spawning takes place at any time of year, with a peak in late winter and early spring.