This species is distinguished from its congeners by the following set of characters: D III,26, all segmented rays branched; A III,15; 30-34 scales in lateral series; 18-20 circumpeduncular scales; gill rakers 6 + 13; teeth of outer ceratobranchial-1 gill rakers well developed on raker tips only; rounded caudal fin with pointed tip; basal one-fifth to one-third of dorsal fin with dark stripe. The new species appears to be closely related to P. pictus (Alor, Indonesian) and P. reticulatus (off NW coast of Australia); where the 3 have similar preserved and probably live coloration (unknown for P. reticulatus), similar morphometric and meristic values, and share an unusual rounded caudal fin with a pointed tip. P. reticulatus

is distinctive in having only 16 circumpeduncular scales (vs. 18-20 in P. jace, and 20 in P. pictus (Ref. 74964).