Shell small for genus (most specimens to 16 mm high; largest 18.5 mm high), relatively broadly biconic. with moderately tall spire, widely expanded last whorl, and moderately contracted base and short anterior canal. Protoconch of 2.75 strongly convex whorls, low-turbiniform, slightly taller than wide, with narrow initiation, apparently entirely smooth and polished, ending abruptly at low. narrow ridge. Teleoconch of 6 whorls, with weakly distorted coiling, slight, concave sutural ramp developed over expanded areas of last 2 whorls, whorl surface weakly but evenly convex abapertural to varices but more strongly convex adapertural to varices (in direction of coiling) over last 2 whorls. Varices low, except for nodule-like expansion over posterior apertural notch over last 2 whorls, weakly defined on early spire whorls: initial varix after 0.5 teleoconch whorl; varices little more than each 0.5 whorls apart on early spire but becoming progressively further apart down spire, situated at each 0.66 whorl over last 2 whorls. Sculpture of low, narrow, reticulate axial costae and spiral threads; axial costae numerous, rounded, moderately prominent, with interspaces each twice width of one costa. 12 in last and 13 in penultimate intervariceal intervals on holotype: spiral cords low, flat-lopped, sharply defined, each less than half width ol one axial costa. riding over axial costae. forming low. rounded nodules at intersections; 3 cords and. over expanded areas of penultimate whorl, fourth cord showing on spire whorls. 8 primary cords on last whorl (passing onto terminal varix) and further 7 lower, wider and more closely spaced cords on canal. Primary cords with wide, concave interspaces bearing several orders of low. narrow, widely spaced interstitial threads; entire surface crossed by low, narrow, widely and evenly spaced axial costellae. Aperture weakly trigonal, with outer lip flared over inner half of terminal varix for adapical two-thirds of its height, and over most or all of width over basal third; bearing 7 or 8 nodules along inner edge, uppermost nodule (in centre of posterior notch) minute, second nodule moderate, third nodule strongly enlarged, fourth nodule smaller than most others, fifth to seventh moderate-sized and similar to each other, small anterior eighth present on some specimens. Inner lip expanded into narrow, smooth shield over parietal area, bearing single prominent parietal ridge, small second ridge adapical to prominent one, low but obvious transverse ridge in apex of marked mid-columellar excavation, and abaperturally decreasing row of 6 or 7 basal columellar ridges, uppermost basal columellar ridge much the most prominent, adapically concave ("hooked"-looking), strongly protruding towards enlarged third nodule inside outer lip. directed more adapically than more abapical, simple ridges and forming markedly concave groove margining adapical end of nodulous ridge. Entire shell translucent while, except for prominent bright brownish purple area at extremity of anterior siphonal canal (most obvious on dorsum of cleaned live-collected specimens), and less obvious one in centre of mid-columellar excavation, marking position of penultimate canal tip visible through translucent inner lip. Periostracum present on most specimens, very thin, pale straw-yellow lo pale olive-yellow, bearing numerous bristles that are long, thick and closely spaced over axial costae but short, thin and widely spaced over axial interspaces. DIMENSIONS. — Holotype: H 15.6, D 9.2; paratype, SMIB 5: sta. DW87: H 16.4. D 9.6.

Personopsis purpurata is very easily recognised among the New Caledonia-Coral Sea material by its small size, its biconic shape with a short anterior canal, its very prominent, slightly "hooked"-looking (adapically concave) uppermost basal columellar tooth, and the purple anterior canal lip on an otherwise uniform white shell. The type species of Personopsis, the Italian Pliocene and Atlantic living P. grasi. is very similar in almost all characters and makes a plausible direct ancestor for P. purpurata. but differs from P. putpurata in its markedly larger size (to ca 25 mm high ), its slightly shorter and wider form, and its lower and less prominent uppermost basal columellar tooth.

Personopsis purpurata has been collected to date only on the northern Norfolk Ridge, on the Loyalty Ridge, and on the Argo and Nova Banks in the eastern Coral Sea.