Body covered with rough shaygreen-like skin composed of very small scales with delicate spinules. The caudal peduncle of the male may consist of a series of horny patches in several raws. Dorsal and anal fin yellow to orange. Feeds on small invertebrates plucked from rocks. Eggs and larvae planktonic.
Young individuals feed also in open water on sandy and muddy substrate.
Captures d'animaux rares en Tunisie. Steinitz W., 1927. Tortonese E., 1967. Stephanolepis diaspros . Fraser Brunner Doriana, suppl.