The species was described by Scottish zoologist Adam White in 1846, who based his description on specimens collected during the Ross expedition.

[2] White's original text (the type description) reads as follows: Head and thorax deep black; elytra greenish bronze, the spines purplish black, the femora purplish black, the remainder of the legs purplish ferruginous; head and thorax quite smooth; elytra very deeply punctured in lines, the shoulders produced into a thick angular spine directed outwards and very slightly upwards; each elytron about the middle with a strong spine near the suture directed somewhat backwards and tufted with hair at the end; the intermediate femora with a compressed spine below near the end.

[3][4] The shoulder of each elytron forms into an acute cone,[5] with a sharp spine at the summit of the hind slope,[6] distinguishing them from their less pointed and spiny cousin, Scolopterus penicillatus.

[2] One major feature of an elytra in Coleoptera is the striae,[7] and in the case of Scoplopterus tetracanthus, they have very deeply prominent punctures.

[2] Individuals within the genus of Scolopterus tend to have large, longitudinally oval eyes that are not convexed, and sit on the upper surface either side of their narrow head.