The peppered spinefoot was first formally described in 1929 by the American ichthyologists Henry Weed Fowler and Barton Appler Bean with the type locality given as Masinloc Bay in Zambales Province in the Philippines.

[3] The peppered spinefoot has a deep and laterally compressed body, its standard length being a little more than twice its depth.

[6] The caudal fin is strongly forked, especially in adults, with thin lobes which have pointed tips.

[5] The overall colour is dark purplish-brown with the head and body covered in tiny close-set pale dots.

[7] The peppered spinefoot is caught by trawling and is sold in small quantities in fish markets in the Philippines.