These fish grow usually to about 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in length, and are deep-bodied and circular-shaped, with curved fins, rounded nose and small mouth.

Their habitat is the subtropical waters of the Western Atlantic: Chesapeake Bay and northern Gulf of Mexico in United States to Argentina.

The harvestfish is deep-bodied, round, and strongly compressed laterally with a forked caudal fin.

Harvestfish are usually silvery and iridescent, sometimes with a green tint on its dorsal half, with tinged yellow fins.

The harvestfish also lacks the mucous pores situated below the anterior half of the dorsal fin that are conspicuous in the butterfish.