Shell up to 7.0 mm in length, ovate, moderately light in weight, teleoconch of 3% convex whorls, protoconch of 34-3% glassy, carinate embryonic whorls, carina on last whorl disappearing into suture, sutures narrowly ledged, first post-embryonic whorl sometimes with weak, low axial riblets, last two whorls almost smooth apart from 1-3 very finely incised spiral striae at sutures and 5-6 weak spiral cords at base of body whorl. Aperture narrow, outer lip thickened and broadly variced in mature specimens, interior with 10-13 small denticles, columella narrowly calloused and with 1 fold and 1-2 small denticles anteriorly, parietal denticle very feeble, siphonal notch distinct. Better preserved specimens glassy-white, ornamented with small, laterally elongated brown spots at sutures, base of body whorl with an interrupted brown band, back of varix with 1-2 brown spots. Beach specimens appear more uniformly waxen-white. TYPE LOCALITY. Off Cape Vidal, Zululand, South Africa, 146-183 m. DISTRIBUTION. From South Africa to N.W. Australia and Japan. Subtidal, to a depth of 183 m. Type specimens. The holotype of N. vidalensis (Barnard), is in the Natal Museum, Pietermaritzburg, No. A-8839, length 6.3 mm, width 3.8 mm. Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Off Cape Vidal, Zululand, 146-183 m (Natal Mus.); N.W. AUSTRALIA: W. of Bunbury, 33°03'S & 114°44' E, 156 m; W. of Jurien Bay, 30°45'S & 114°51'E, 143 m; c. 304 km N.W. of Port Hedland, 19°32'S & 115°49'E, 183 m (all AMS); PHILIPPINES: W. of Manila Bay, 13°32'N & 121°07'E, 130-137 m (MNHNP); CHINA: Straits of Taiwan, S. China Sea (NSMT); RYUKYU IS: off Miyako I, c. 150 m (NSMT); JAPAN: Enshu-Nada, Central Honshu (NSMT).