Shell of medium size (to about 70 mm), fusiform, consisting of about 9 slightly bicarinated postnuclear whorls, giving the shell a moderately bicarinate profile with a slight subsutural concavity. Double keel more pronounced on upper whorls, situated slightly below middle of whorls, shoulder slope concave.
Colour off-white, occasionally with reddish-brown tinged apex and/or tip of siphonal canal. Occasionally with red-brown tinged spiral cords on body whorl and along suture.
Suture distinct, slightly wavy, following axial sculpture of preceding whorl on spire whorls, straight on body whorl.
Protoconch decollate in all available specimens. Two specimens show a partly preserved white, glossy, smooth last protoconch whorl with some weak axial riblets near transition to teleoconch. Transition to teleoconch marked by weak varix. Diameter: 0.9-1.0 mm.
Axial ribs rather inconspicuous, broad, low, with narrow interspaces. 8-10 on 4 upper postnuclear whorls, running from suture to suture. 8-12 axial ribs on following whorls, starting below the suture in the subsutural concavity. Axial sculpture suddenly irregular, weak and low from penultimate whorl on, numbering about 10-15 often indistinct axial ribs, occasionally evanescent on body whorl. Teleoconch beginning with 4 primary spiral cords, abapical ones stronger. 5 primary spiral cords on second whorl. From second or third whorl on, an intercalated secondary spiral cord appears between primary cords, occasionally becoming as strong as primary cords on latter whorls. From third whorl on, fine tertiary cords appear on both sides of stronger secondary cords. Number of tertiary cords on body whorl increasing to up to 6 by intercalation. Spiral sculpture crossed by conspicuously strong growth lines giving surface the texture of linen. Aperture ovate, pinched at both ends, whitish or yellowish, smooth within. Outer lip simple. Parietal callus rather thick, smooth, appressed, lacking folds and teeth.
Siphonal canal open, slightly shorter than length of aperture, straight, slightly twisted and turned backwards at tip.
Operculum corneous, dark brown, shape and size corresponding to aperture, nucleus apical. Radula typical of Fusinus. Central tooth round-ovate, tricuspid, cusps slightly projecting below slightly broader base. Lateral teeth curved with 8 strong pointed cusps with incurved tips.

Fusinus alisonae sp. nov. is placed in the subgenus Chryseofusus based on the smooth adapical whorls, the weak, close-set, inconspicuous, regular spiral sculpture crossed by distinct growth lines giving the surface the texture of linen, the relatively short spire and siphonal canal, the modestly convex whorls with subsutural concavity, and the simple, adherent parietal callus.
This new taxon has a geographic distribution different from all known Chryseofusus species. The only species known from Australian waters, F. (C.) westralis , which is endemic to northwestern Australia, differs in having a much larger size (up to 140 mm), a longer spire, a larger number of ventricose, non-carinated whorls, an almost obsolete axial sculpture and conspicuously fine spiral sculpture.
Fusinus (C.) alisonae sp. nov. differs from:
• Fusinus (C) graciliformis (Sowerby, 1880) from the Indo-West Pacific, in having a less prominent axial sculpture on upper whorls, usually obsolete axial ribs on penultimate and body whorl, convex and unkeeled whorls, and a more slender and twisted siphonal canal.
• Fusinus (C) jurgeni Hadorn & Fraussen, 2002 from the east African coast, in having a larger size (up to 100 mm), a larger number of whorls, usually weak or obsolete axial sculpture on penultimate and body whorl, and a comparatively longer siphonal canal.
• Fusinus (C) artutus Hadorn & Fraussen, 2003 from the Philippine Islands, in having a flesh coloured to light brownish shell, more numerous, finer and narrower axial ribs on upper whorls, abruotlv fading awav on penultimate whorl, and by the obsolete axial sculpture on the body whorl.

Range and habitat. South Australia, Great Australian Bight, south of Head of Bight, and Western Australia, near Rowley Shoals. Live collected specimens 366 m deep, empty shells 380-450 m deep. This new finding extends the geographical distribution of the subgenus Chryseofusus to South Australia (Great Australian Bight). Type locality. South Australia, Great Australian Bight, south of Head of Bight, 33°25' S, 131W E.