Chrysallida ghisottii: General description (after 25 shells from 8 localities). — The shell is compact, conical, with a turreted profile and a very blunt top. It gives the impression of an Alvania, rather than that of a Chrysallida. The protoconch is of type G. There are three to four teleoconch whorls which, irrespective of the prominent spiral ridges, are flat. The whorls are shouldered; the last one is high. The suture is broad and deep, excavated, almost horizontal. As usual, the number of ribs is variable. Dependent on their number, the interstices are narrower, equal or broader than the ribs. They are prosocline; looking from the top to the base of the shell, the angle between the ribs and the axis of the shell becomes larger after every crossing of rib and spiral ridge. The ribs continue to the base, but become considerably thinner below the periphery of the last whorl. Generally the spiral ridges are stronger than the ribs; on the crossing small tubercles are formed. The first teleoconch whorl (in the case of four whorls, the first two) has two spiral cords, one on the apical shoulder, the other just above the abapical suture. The penultimate whorl has three spirals, two in the same position as on the initial whorl(s) and one (much less pronounced) in between. The last whorl also shows three (rarely four) spiral ridges above the aperture, equidistant, the middle one thinner than the others. Underneath, at the same height as the upper side of the aperture, there is a fourth spiral cord and, further to the base, next to the aperture, three (sometimes four) more. Thus, on the last whorl, there are seven to nine spirals. The aperture is high, oval; the outer lip angular because of the protruding spiral ridges. The tooth is only visible after turning the shell. There is no umbilicus.
Length 2.3-3.0 mm, LW 60-70%, A 37-42%, L/B 1.8-2.1, B/b 1.9-2.3 (based on 11 shells).

Chrysallida ghisottii: The problems caused by resemblance with some Alvania species, e.g. A. fischeri (Jeffreys, 1884), is solved by the presence of the typically coiled, intorted protoconch of C. ghisotlii and its tooth. C. ghisottii can also easily be distinguished from C. excavata, the last species is much more slender/cylindrical (B/b 1.2 versus 2.0 at equal length). Furthermore, the spiral ridges above the aperture of C. excavata are more protruding, and the penultimate whorl has only two spiral cords versus three in C. ghisottii.

Chrysallida ghisottii: A rather rare species, only known from the Mediterranean.