It is found in eastern Africa and Madagascar and in New Guinea and northern Australia.

Scatophagus tetracanthus was first formally described Chaetodon tetracanthus as in 1802 by the French naturalist Bernard Germain de Lacépède with no type locality given, Lacépède's description was based on a drawing and manuscript by Philibert Commerson.

[4] Scatophagus tetracanthus has a roughly oval shape, with a rather compact, pointed head ending in a relatively small mouth.

[2] The background colour of this fish is pale cream marked with thick brown bars, there can be an orange or red patch on the forehead.

[2] Scatophagus tetracanthus feeds on benthic invertebrates and detritus.