The body of the northern tonguefish has alternating narrow and broad bands spanning its length. It has 12 caudal fin rays. It has a slender body with a small, rounded, oblique mouth. Its eyes are small and very close together. It has scaled jaws and snout, and its scales are quite small. The dorsal finbegins immediately above the center of the species' eyes. It is light brown in color, and has 6 to 7 cross bars on its body of a slightly darker hue.