Body relatively Oblong and compressed, body depth 2.5〜2.9 in SL. Eye large, its diameter 2.2〜2.6 in head length. A blunt spine at corner of preopercle, not reaching to border of opercle. Pelvic fin relatively long, shorter than head, and broadly connected with body by a membrane. Caudal fin slightly forked. Body red; pelvic fin black, other fins red.
Distribution:
Both sides of the Atlantic; in the western Atlantic from Massachusetts to Brazil.
Remarks:
This species is similar to P. cruentatus but differs from it by the following points:a spine at the corner of the preopercle blunt and short, 14 soft rays in the dorsal fin and 15 soft rays in the anal fin, lateral-line scales 61〜73, and gill rakers 6〜8+21〜26=27〜34. Solitary and nocturnal. (Matsuura)