Shell elongate-conic, white; nuclear whorls 2,5 large, helicoid, with the axis at right angles to that of the following whorls, in the first of which they are about one third immersed; postnuclear whorls 10, rounded, with, on the later whorls, the greatest convexity on the lower third, sutures impressed; axial sculpture of nearly vertical ribs, of which 16 appear on the first 4 whorls, 18 on the fifth and sixth, 20 on the seventh and eighth, and 26 on the penultimate; interspaces shallow, about twice as wide as the ribs, marked with spiral series of shallow pits, of which 3 at the base and 1 a little above the center of the whorls are much wider than the rest which are closely spaced; periphery of last whorl well rounded; base rather short, well rounded, marked with feeble continuations of the axial ribs and about 8 incised spiral lines; aperture oval, outer lip thin; columella slightly curved, the body covered with a strong callus. The type measures: length, 5.2 mm; diameter, 1.4 mm.
Holotype: No. 757 (Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll.), from Loc. 27,229 (C.A.S.), dredged in from 3 to 9 fms. in Bahia Honda, Panama. L. G. Hertlein collector. Eleven additional specimens were dredged at the same locality.
In the key given by Dall & Bartsch to the west coast species in the subgenus Pyrgiscus this would be grouped with shimeki, and stonei of this paper, but differs entirely from it in general appearance. It is quite similar to garthi of this paper but differs in the presence of stronger series of pits near the middle of the whorls.
This species is named for Mr. Alvin Seale, Superintendent of the Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco, California, who accompanied the expedition.