The shells are generally of moderate size (30-65 mm) and subfusiform. The spire is high an acute, with a completely obscured suture. The body whorl is moderately large. The aperture is entire and ovate to subcircular. The siphonal canal is long, broad, and sealed, its left margin overlapping its right.
The body whorl bears three moderately broad, winglike varices, these sometimes entire or indented at the base of the body. The varix is drawn into an upward-hooked point at the shoulder margin, and the leading edge of the varix at the shoulder spine is overlapped by a fold from above. Portions of each varix are retained on the spire, forming a continuous, spinose ridge from the body whorl to the apex.
According to Emerson & D'Attilio (1969), "The available distribution data ... indicate that the living representatives of this group are surviving, relict elements of the older Tertiary West-Tethyan faunas." This would explain the present, apparently discontinuous distribution, with species now living in the tropical eastern Atlantic (P. gambiensis Reeve, 1845) and eastern Pacific oceans (P. pinniger Broderip, 1833; P. macleani Emerson & D'Attilio, 1969). Fossils representing several species are known from both Europe and North America.