Mycteroperca fusca is a large species which has a brownish or dark grey body colour when adult which is marked with irregular pale blotches and spots as well as a prominent maxillary streak.

There is a convex interorbital area and it possesses enlarged serrations on the preopercle at its angle, forming a rounded lobe below a shallow indentation on the vertical limb.

[3] Mycteroperca fusca is an insular species from the Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira and Cape Verde.

[6] Mycteroperca fusca has a limited range where it is rare especially in areas which are subjected to heavy fishing pressure.

A number of studies have shown a negative correlation between the abundance of M. fusca and the amount of fishing pressure, suggesting that overexploitation has significantly reduced the population.