The stripey was first formally described as Chaetodon strigatus in 1831 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as Nagasaki.

[5] The stripey has a deep, compressed body which has a rounded back, it has a distinctive pattern of oblique black and yellow, sometimes white, stripes.

[1] The Australian distribution runs from central Queensland to southern New South Wales, although it may extend as far as eastern Victoria and the north east of Tasmania, and from Cape Leeuwin to the Exmouth Gulf in Western Australia.

[6] The stripey occurs in coastal and lagoon reefs where during the day it forms dense schools which hide under ledges and in caves.

[2] Juvenile stripets are often seen in tidal pools while the adults may be seen around man-made structures such as jetties and harbour walls.