Marine; reef-associated; depth range 1 - 650 m , usually 180 - 220 m . Tropical; 33°N - 38°S, 17°E - 155°W

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 100.0 cm TL male/unsexed; ; common length : 30.0 cm TL male/unsexed;

Dorsal spines (total): 0; Dorsal soft rays (total): 109 - 139; Anal spines: 0; Anal soft rays: 80 - 106. In addition to meristic counts, B. multibarbata differs from B. townsendi by possessing a larger eye (width>interorbital space) and having slightly different coloration (dark brown with a submarginal black band and narrow white border on the dorsal and anal fins versus greenish to orange brown with orange-bordered dorsal and anal fins).