The schoolmaster snapper has a series of fine vertical stripes on its body that fade with age. All of its fins are bright yellow in color.

The schoolmaster snapper is generally found in the shallow coastal waters of the tropical and subtropical regions of the western Atlantic ocean, especially along the coasts of Florida and the coral reefs of the Keys as well as the various islands of the Caribbean arc, such as Guadeloupe island.

The schoolmaster snapper is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The schoolmaster snapper appears in the IUCN Red List since 2016 within the category Least Concern !