This small to medium sized acanthodian (about 10 to 20 cm) is has not been identified from Orkney or Caithness. It is however rather common in the beds around the Moray Firth. We mention here the species in the hope that it will be identified from Orkney in the future.

Like the other Cheiracanthus species the spines are tiny and not deeply inserted into the body.

They were slender fishes and eaten often by the bigger predators in the lake.

The crown of the scale has a pair of big ribs and a few smaller ones. Cheiracanthus murchisoni has only smaller ribs on the anterior side of the scale.