The stripedfin ronquil was first formally described as Bathymaster hypoplectus in 1890 by the American ichthyologist Charles Henry Gilbert with the type locality given as off Southern California.

The overall color varies from olive brown to dull red, bluish black or purple with paler patches.

Males have a number of obvious blotches on their flanks; females are palre with darker blotches and spots on the upper body and pale bars on the lower flanks and have a blue spot on the front part of the dorsal fin.

[6] This is a solitary, demersal fish found in exposed rocky areas in shalloiw coastal waters down to depths of 178 m (584 ft).

Their predators include a variety of larger fish and California sea lions (Zalophus californianus).