DIAGNOSIS. — Shell morphology. Shell external, fragile to solid, ovate, and transversely sulcate; spire variable. Aperture variable in size, anteriorly rounded. Inner lip slightly thickened. Columella with a small and simple fold. Umbilicus closed. Operculum present.
Anatomy. Radula composed of several denticulate lateral teeth. The inner lateral teeth are short whereas the outer teeth are much more elongated. Jaw with several denticulate elements.

REMARKS. — Dall (1871) introduced the genus Rictaxis based on the shell morphology, to include species with the columella obliquely truncated at the base. Later Marcus (1972) redescribed this genus using anatomical characters and included two species, Rictaxis punctocaelatus (Carpenter, 1864), the type species, and Rictaxis punctostriatus (C B. Adams, 1840). The diagnosis above is based on Marcus (1972).
The radular morphology of Rictaxis is very similar to that of Japonacteon (see above), but the radular teeth of Japonacteon are all of similar size, whereas in Rictaxis the outermost teeth are much more elongated. A revision ot the Acteonidae with a phylogenetic analysis is necessary to determine the validity of these names, but in the meanwhile Rictaxis is here used as valid.