The spotted hawkfish was first formally described as Cirrhites aprinus in 1829 by the French zoologist Georges Cuvier with the type locality given as Timor.

[2] The specific name aprinus means "boar-like", a reference to the large canine teeth in the sides of the lower jaws.

[7] The overall background colour of this species is whitish with wide dark reddish-brown vertical bars on the flanks.

[8] There have been isolated records from the western Indian Ocean, these include reports from Aliwal Shoal off South Africa and the Maldives.

[1] This is a common species inhabiting rocky and coral areas of coastal reefs below the low tide mark and which will also move into shallow harbours and estuaries.

[10] They are thought to be protogynous hermaphrodites and to be organised into harems of a single male and a small number of females.