General description (after 1140 shells from 35 localities). — The shell is slender conical (large specimens) to compact conical (short specimens), with a rather pointed top. The protoconch is of type B, its angle with the axis of the shell is more variable than in most other Chrysallida (Parthenina), and the protoconch type may tend to A. There are live to eight very flat teleoconch whorls. Their breadth strongly diminishes in upward direction, so that B/b is high (1.7-2.0) for short shells with few whorls, and low (1.2-1.4) for longer shells, of which the last three whorls are rather cylindrical. Thus, the longer specimens also still give a conical impression. The suture is narrow, not very deep and lies somewhat obliquely to the shell axis. The ribs are broader than the interstices or equally broad. On the initial whorls the ribs are straight; on the last two they may be slightly flexuous. All ribs are inclined to the right. The initial whorls have one spiral ridge, just above the suture. Occasionally, a second one can be observed, always practically within the suture. The last whorl has two spiral ridges, in front view just above the aperture; the lower one less pronounced, as a termination of the ribs. Only in the rare cases where the ribs do not abruptly terminate above the aperture, but gradually decrease and continue somewhat further, the lower spiral ridge is as strongly marked as the higher one. The aperture is mostly narrow-oval; there is a pronounced tooth. Almost all shells have an umbilical groove.
Length 1.7-4.5 mm, LW 34-57%, A 21-33%, L/B 2.2-3.6, B/b 1.2-2.0 (based on 93 shells).

The entire Mediterranean area and European west coast to the north of Brittany.