Brachiopsilus is a combination of brachium, which means "arm", and psilos, meaning "bare" or "smooth". This is an allusion to the smooth skin on the body and the arm-like pectoral fin.[4]
Brachiopsilus handfishes are characterised by having a relatively deep body, the depth of the body at the origin of the second dorsal fin being equivalent to 31% to 43% of the standard length. They have large heads, the length of the head is equivalent to between 43% and 58% of the standard length and is slightly compressed in cross section. They have rather short caudal peduncles. The illicium may be short or long but is thin and is between 3 and 5 times the length of the esca. They have thick skin which is smooth but may have low ridges within it but does not have any enlarged, fleshy warts on it. The body or fins are brightly coloured or may have a strong pattern of speckles. The pectoral fin typically has 9 fin rays, sometimes 10 and 9 or 10 soft rays in the anal fin.[6] Th smallest fish in the genus is the humpback handfish (B. dossenus) with a maximum published standard length of 6.5 cm (2.6 in) while the largest is Ziebell's handfish (B. ziebelli) with a maximum published standard length of 11.7 cm (4.6 in).[5]
