Marine; reef-associated; depth range 0 - 30 m , usually 1 - 30 m . Tropical; 26°N - 25°S, 95°E - 173°W

Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 25.0 cm SL male/unsexed; ; common length : 20.0 cm TL male/unsexed;

Dorsal spines (total): 13; Dorsal soft rays (total): 10; Anal spines: 7; Anal soft rays: 9; Vertebrae: 13. A dark chocolate ocular band running in an arc from base of 1st dorsal spine to chin; a narrow white blaze on midline of head profile; thorax dark chocolate; a broad white zone behind ocular bar on trunk; remainder of body yellow-orange. Stout, pungent, venomous spines. Caudal fin only slightly incised. Fully scaled midline of thorax. Preopercular angle 119° (111°-120°). Variable cheek scaling; usually overlapping scales, 8-10 rows deep below center of orbit; occasionally, few scattered scales; area fully scaled from lower edge of orbit 2 angle of mouth. S. vulpinus is very closely related to and possibly the same as S. unimaculatus, which has a large black blotch on the sides beneath the soft dorsal rays . Body shape (shape guide): short and / or deep;  Cross section: compressed.