Diagnosis: Shell moderately small (9-15 mm), biconic-claviform to claviform, with relatively low, straight-sided spire, more or less papilliform apex, and short base, without a distinct fasciole; siphonal canal short, wide, its termination square-set, not notched; parietal pad large, angular, with somewhat lamellar growth-lines, constricting anal sinus; anal sinus moderately shallow, asymmetrically U-shaped, directed slightly abapically; stromboid notch absent; whorls not shouldered, without a distinct subsutural cord, axial ribs fairly weak, evanescing on shoulder slope, crossed by low, dense spiral threads; no varices, although sometimes a slight swelling behind lip; usually vividly coloured, with pale ribs on a deep brown to orange ground; a lacquer-like periostracum present in type-species at least. Protoconch narrowly domed, of approximately 2 whorls, smooth except (typically) for spiral striae and sometimes weak axial riblets on last half-whorl. Operculum and radula unknown.

Notes: I hesitate to describe a turrid genus on shell characters alone, but this species-group cannot be referred satisfactorily to any known taxon. From Naudedrillia, Psittacodrillia differs in the shallow anal sinus, strong parietal nodule, non-shouldered whorls, vivid colour pattern, lack of a subterminal varix, and less oblique, unnotched termination to the siphonal canal. Compared with Buchema, it lacks a distinct subsutural cord, subterminal varix and fasciole. Two of the three species here included (diversa and hairstowi) are very similar to one another, but the third, Drillia albonodulosa, differs in form, notably in its vestigial varix and fasciole, and in the slight subsutural swelling, and may eventually prove to be unrelated (perhaps a Bachema).