Cepola pauciradiata was first formally described in 1950 by the French ichthyologist Jean Cadenat with the type locality given as the coast of Senegal.

[2] The specific name pauciradiata is a compound of pauci meaning "few" and radiata which means "rayed", a reference to the lower counts of soft rays in the dorsal and anal fins relative to other members of the genus.

[5] Cepola pauciradiata has been recorded as occurring on the Atlantic coast of western Africa from Mauritania in the north to Angola in the south.

It is most commonly found at depths between 25 and 100 m (82 and 328 ft) on muddy or sandt bottoms.

[1] Cepola pauciradiata occurs either singly or in small aggregations on muddy and sand bottoms.