Shell to 17 mm long, width slightly less than half length, aperture height about one-half length; cream colored, some with two light brown bands or one row of hazy brown blotches at periphery; whorls moderately inflated; axial ribs about 15-18 per whorl, nearly straight; spiral cords strong, overriding axial ribs, producing beads at intersections; columella with weak lirae in some; labial denticles variably well developed, projecting from aperture in some specimens. Protoconch conical with 3-3.5 whorls, velar sinus well-developed, axial sculpture.

Shell of a uniform whitish color, very acute spire, and fine regular corded spiral sculpture crossed by about 17 nearly straight axial narrow ribs. This form is usually in rather deep water. (Dall.)

Dall (1916) differentiated this species (as a variety of A. versicolor) from the typical form by its "uniform whitish color, very acute spire, and fine regular corded spiral sculpture crossed by about 17 nearly straight axial narrow ribs." Typical A. versicolor has heavier, more oblique axials and a slightly tabulate suture. Monsecour & Kohler (2006) also pointed to A. reticulata’s nearly straight rather than oblique axials. It differs from A. undata, which is similar in size, in the much shallower suture and a greater number of lower but more uniformly developed axial ribs. Unlike A. columbiana and A. versicolor, this species occurs offshore, frequently with Astyris gausapata.

Distribution. Kodiak Island, Alaska, to San Benito Islands, Baja California. Soft bottoms, 15-300 m. Uncommon.