A species of the genus Poecilopsetta with the following combination of characters: high number of dorsal (70–73) and anal (58–62) fin rays, ca. 85–99 lateral-line scales, 31–32 caudal vertebrae, and relatively shallow body depth (36.9–41.9% SL).

Body compressed and elliptical. Head small and compressed. Snout short. Ocular-side anterior nostril a short tube situated on snout anterior to lower eye on the horizontal through middle of lower eye; ocular-side posterior nostril very short tube situated at anterior margin of interorbital space. Eyes dextral and small, separated by narrow bony ridge. Mouth small and oblique, maxilla extending to point between verticals through anterior margin of pupil and mid-point of lower eye; tip of lower jaw with very small symphyseal knob; lower jaw extending to vertical through middle of lower eye; band of small teeth on each jaw, tooth bands on blind-side jaws more developed than those on ocular-side jaws. Vomer and palatines toothless. Gill rakers on first arch not serrated, and slender on both limbs. Gill membranes united.

Scales very small and deciduous; ctenoid on ocular side, cycloid on blind side. Eyes, both jaws, and snout from tip to anterior interorbital region scaleless. Lateral line on ocular side strongly curved above pectoral fin; lateral line absent on blind side.

Dorsal fin origin on blind side of head at point equal to vertical through middle of upper eye. Anal fin origin posterior to anus on mid-ventral line. All dorsal fin rays, except for first ray, and all anal fin rays simple. First dorsal fin ray usually branched (simple in MNHN 2008-2207 and 2008-2208). Pectoral fin on both sides small; anterior 3 (2–3) rays on ocular side and all rays on blind-side fin simple. Pelvic fins small, first ray on blind-side fin opposite third ray of ocular-side fin; all ocular-side pelvic fin rays usually branched (all unbranched in MNHN 2008-2208), posterior 4 (0–4) rays branched in blind-side pelvic fin. Caudal fin rounded, inner 14 (15 in MNHN 1994-0814) rays branched, other rays simple. Anus on mid-ventral line. Urogenital papilla very small, located on ocular side slightly dorsal to anus (Ref. 84061).