This boxfish is uncommonly encountered by divers, and usually towards the lower end of snorkelling depth. It is orange in colour and sexually dimorphic, with fish transitioning from juveniles to adult females then finally males. The almost spherical juveniles display black angular bands, while adult females have both white and black bands, then finally lose the black altogether in adult males, which are a brighter orange with white bands. Adult individuals have a prominent hump on their back, and the triangular skeletal plates are visible through the skin. This species is not usually confused for any other, even within its own genus, but expert identification can sometimes be required for very young juveniles.