Body oblong and compressed, body depth 2.6〜2.9 in SL. Eye large, its diameter 3.2〜3.5 in head length. Tooth patch on vomer triangular-shaped, not extended posteriorly. Interorbital space flat. Pectoral fin falcate and elongate, its tip reaching to anus. Maxillary scaleless. Caudal fin forked. Body pale dorsally, silver ventrally; distal portion of dorsal fin yellow; pectoral, pelvic, and anal fins pale; caudal fin orange yellow basally and pale posteriorly.
Distribution:
From North Carolina through Bahamas to Brazil.
Remarks:
This species resembles Rhomboplites aurorubens and Pristipomoides macrophthalmus in body shape, but is distinguishable from the former by the number of dorsal spines (10 against 13) and from the latter by the number of gill rakers (17〜19 on the lower limb against 14〜16) and the number of lateral-line scales (47〜50 against 54〜57).