The spotted-sail goby has a short and robust body and has a head that has 3 to 4 narrow yellow wide-interspaced cross-bars.

The head and body are translucent white in color.

[1] The species is known to be endemic to San Salvador, Bahamas, Curaçao and Tobago.

[2] The genus name, Varicus, comes from the Latin varix which means dilated vein.

[3] The species name comes from the Latin words 'veli-' (sail) and '-guttatus' (speckled or spotted), which is in reference to the species' first dorsal fin which has scattered black markings.