Shell 9.7 mm in length. The width is slightly smaller only: 8.9 mm. The outline seen from above or the base is almost circular. Compared to most genera in the EMARGINULINAE, the "height" is low: quite flattened. In the holotype, the hight measures 4.6 mm. The protoconch bent backwards, but visible under magnification, even in adults. Seen from above the apex is situated at about two thirds from the periphery, counted from the anterior slope. The perforation on the anterior slope is long, broad, rounded at the side of the apex but ends in a sharp point directed towards the periphery. The selenizone starts on top of the apex, and is well visible down to the perforation. Inside the very deeply incised selenizone, one remarks one thin rib, crossed by about 20 small raised ribs, going from one side of the selenizone to the other one. We refer to the figure of this detail on the plates for an easy understanding of this particular sculpture. Below the perforation, on its sharp end, the selenizone closes and remains only visible as a suture down to the periphery. Both sides of the perforation, on the outside of the shell are a little raised in intact specimens. Inside the perforation, a very visible septum, which covers the round end of the perforation. Outside of the shells covered with primary, secondary and tertiary ribs. In the holotype we count 27 primary ribs. Usually the primary ribs are separated by one secondary rib. There are 23 of these secondary ribs in the holotype. These secondary ribs are once more separated, but not always, by tertiary ribs. These are hardly visible on photographs but easy to see under the microscope. There are about 82 of these tertiary ribs in the holotype. This already intricate sculpture becomes even more complicate: as the ribs descend near the periphery, a sculpture of small pits appears. These pits become bigger as they approach the periphery and they are set in rows between all the ribs. In case the row of pits is between the primary and secondary ribs, the row of pits may split into two and end near the periphery with two rows of pits. As the primary ribs approach the periphery, they slightly exceed the cir-cular shape of the shell, forming blunt points at the end, giving the shell its "star" shape. The apex is visible, with the protoconch slightly protruding the top of the whorl: its top is translucent white. It looks like a small cap, before the big body whorl starts. We do not know if this is the end of the protoconch or not, but there is a clearly visible division. Inside of the shell porcellaneous white, solid, slightly translucent. Where the primary ribs end on the periphery with shallow channels.

We here compare the new species with other Indo-Pacific Fissurellids from closely related genera that have a vague resemblance to Puncturella stella-splendida n. sp.:
* Puncturella sinensis G. B. Sowerby III, 1894
This Japanese species resembles P. stellasplendida n. sp. concerning the big septum which is quite low and the pronounced ribs all over the shell. However, it can be distinguished at once by the much smaller size - about 3-4 mm in length, the nar¬row elongate, not circular outline, and the wavy pri¬mary ribs covered with big knobs. The holotype of P. sinensis has been figured by Higo et al. (2001).
* Puncturella teramachii Kira & Habe, 1949
This Japanese species highly resembles P. stel-lasplendida n. sp. The size is similar and at first view one can confuse both species. Differences from P. stellasplendida n. sp. are the following: the shape is different: P. teramachii is higher in shape, and the outline is not circular but elongate rectangular. There are 35 primary ribs in P. teramachii, which is considerably more than in P. stellasplendida n. sp. The sculpture is different: there are also pits in some areas between the ribs, but they go up almost to the apex. The selenizone is broader in P. teramachii. Another conspicuous difference is that the ribs on the periphery end in small knobs, and they do not protrude to form a star shape as in P. stellasplendida n. sp. The holotype of P. teramachii has been figured by Higo et al. (2001). The name P. teramachii was used in PMM for P. stellasplendida n. sp.
Puncturella sinensis Sowerby III, 1894
This Japanese species resembles P. Stella¬splendida due to its big septum which is quite low and the pronounced ribs all over the shell. However, it can be distinguished at once by the much smaller size - about 3-4 mm in length, the narrow elongate, not circular outline, and the wavy primary ribs cov¬ered by big knobs. The holotype of P. sinensis has been figured by Higo et al. (2001).
* Puncturella nobilis (A. Adams, 1860)
This large species is mainly known from Japan, but it has also been collected in Korea and along the coasts of China. It has in common with P. stellasplendida n. sp. the protruding points at the end of the primary ribs all around the periphery of the shell, but the size is much bigger: usually double the size as the new species. However, the shape is completely different: a very high shaped species, with, when seen from the side, an almost triangular outline.
* Puncturella gigantea Schepman, 1908
This species is known from a considerably damaged specimen, found in Sulawesi, Indonesia. At first glance, one can see that this species has no primary, secondary or tertiary ribs: all ribs are equal in strength and size. The septum inside descends much more over the aperture than it does in the P. stellasplendida n. sp.

Only known from the Mactan Channel and the eastern side of Olango Island. The new species lives there at a depth between 150 and 400 m. Common in dredgings between 250 and 350 m.