It is classified in the genus due to the patches of yellow on its central disc and thorns close to its orbit.

[3] The species' closest relative is Platyrhina hyugaensis, the Hyuga fanray, due to the similarity of the two rays' thorn patterns.

[1] The yellow-spotted fanray is primarily brown on its upper side, ranging from a darker to a grayer shade, and white on its underside, often containing patches of grey.

[2] A benthic species,[1] the yellow-spotted fanray lives in temperate waters in the pelagic and neritic zones,[2] in areas where the sea floor is rocky or sandy.

An ovoviviparous species,[3] it can give birth during the fall or late summer, any time from August to November.