[2] Reaching 22 cm (8.7 in) in length,[2] T. pleurogramma has an elongated body with a rounded back and flattened belly.

It has dense, sturdy spines from its nose to halfway between its pectoral and dorsal fins.

[3] Several dark lines run vertically down its cheeks that give the fish a "weeping" appearance.

[4] It can be distinguished from the orange-spotted toadfish (which is not found in Australian waters) by its more prominent spines.

[3] Schools may form in deeper coastal waters during summer, moving from their estuarine habitat and perhaps dying out en masse during autumn.