The spotted seabass is an elongated fish with a silvery color. The back and tail tend towards a darker gray while the flanks lighten as you approach the belly.
It can easily be distinguished from the common seabass because it is covered with distinctive dark spots on the back and flanks. It also has a black spot on the operculum.
Like its congeners, it has two dorsal fins, the first with about ten spines, while the second has only one. The anal fin has three spines and about ten soft rays.