This species is distinguished from its congeners by having an anteriorly directed hook-like process on the third posteriormost ventral procurrent caudal ray; differs from P. paucus by having greater number of dorsal-fin rays (30-31 vs. 24-26), anal-fin rays (18-19 vs. 15-16), pectoral-fin rays (17-18 vs. 16-17), and vertebrae (33-35 vs. 31); differs from P. andriashevi by having fewer dorsal-fin rays (30-31 vs. 31-37), anal-fin rays (18-19 vs. 19-22), and vertebrae (33-35 vs. 36-39); differs further from P. opalescens by having small bristles and larger spikes on the gill rakers (vs. small bristles only), and from P. rhyton and P. mauli by the greater prepectoral (>39% SL vs. <36% SL) and prepelvic (>36% SL vs. <33% SL) length, shorter dorsal-fin base (<70% SL vs. >75% SL), and smaller mouth (upper jaw extending to midorbit vs. posterior margin of orbit) (Ref. 94277).