Small, elevated-trochiform to turriculate (L/D=l .26-1.50); apical angle 55-60°; teleoconch of 6-7 whorls; whorls flat-sided and peripherally angled, peripheral angle marked by a strong keel, base flattened; sutures channelled and inserted below peripheral angulation, spire thus rendered pagodaform; insertion of suture level with subperipheral spiral cord. First teleoconch whorl more or less evenly rounded and sculptured only with strong, evenly spaced, axial pliculae (14-20); peripheral cord (angulation) begins to develop during second whorl, axial pliculae become nodular at angulation; whorls more flat-sided from third whorl onward and with 2 or 3 further spiral cords, one immediately below suture and 1 or 2 between this and peripheral keel; subsutural cord with adapically pointed triangular nodules which project into sutural channel; nodules with a thin lamellate ridge running into suture; middle spiral cord(s) thinner than the other two and at most obsoletely granular where crossed by axial sculpture; peripheral cord becomes keel-like with growth and is rendered stellate in apical view by radiating triangular nodules, 13-20 on body; axial sculpture of prosocline pliculae persists throughout, but pliculae more numerous than either the subsutural or peripheral nodules; whorl surface rendered somewhat cancellate/foveolate by interaction of spiral and axial sculpture. Base with 4 (rarely 5) evenly spaced spiral cords, outer one weakly undulant, others progressively smoother toward columella; interval between peripheral and subperipheral cords deeply concave and forms suture channel in spire whorls; innermost basal spiral very close to columella; umbilicus patent in juveniles, but closed by thickened columella in adults. Aperture subcircular, somewhat flattened in parietal and columellar regions; columella (at maturity) with a bulge-like swelling at its base, rarely forming a distinct tooth; interior of outer lip with up to 11 spiral lirae running into aperture (evident only in fully mature shells), one where basal portion of lip joins columella not enlarged; outer lip prosocline, not obviously thickened; interior nacreous. Microsculpture: Initial whorls lacking vermiform spiral microsculpture; later whorls with distinct scratch-like microsculpture. Protoconch: White to translucent white, strongly exsert; diameter 260-280 µm; apical beak scarcely evident; surface evidently smooth; terminal lip roundly angled between mid-whorl and adapical suture. Colour: Ground colour yellowish white to pale orange, commonly buff; frequently with spots and blotches of a deeper shade beneath suture and at periphery; basal cords often spotted with dark brown; occasional specimens almost entirely pink with deeper pink markings; intritacalx deposit generally cream-yellow, only visible in the freshest specimens; shell frequently encrusted with bryozoans, sponges, tubicolous worms and encrusting Foraminifera. Dimensions: Attaining length 6.0 mm, diameter 4.2 mm in South Africa, but reaching length 6.2 mm, diameter 4.9 mm in northern Madagascar (MNHN). Operculum: Initially tightly multispiral, but whorls broadening with growth and becoming more openly multispiral. Radula: Formula oo+3+1+3+oo, with ca 70 transverse rows of teeth; similar to that of P angulifera in that the cusp of rachidian is strongly dentate, with a sharply pointed central denticle and several similar but smaller lateral denticles on each side; laterals with a sharply pointed central cusp; marginals very numerous and fine.

Distinctive amongst local species on account of its small size and turriculate profile. Specimens from Madagascar often rather broad and with a more coarsely stellate peripheral cord. Perrinia angulifera (A. Adams, 1853) has a similar elevated-trochiform spire, but is less pagodaform and much larger (length up to 16 mm). The most similar sympatric species is P stellata (A. Adams, 1864), but that also generally attains a larger size (length up to 9.6 mm in south-eastern Africa) and has a much more strongly stellate periphery and stronger basal cords.
Schepman (1908) described a number of new species of this genus (placed as a subgenus of Calliostoma) from Indonesia, two of which, P squamocarinata and P nigro-maculata, resemble the present taxon. P squamocarinata (syntype examined, ZMAN 3.08.084, Fig. 7IE, F) (additional figures provided by Poppe et al. (2006) and Poppe & Tagaro (2008)) differs in having stronger granules on the spiral cords above the peripheral keel on the last adult whorl, and the base retains an umbilicus (albeit small) and has five granular spiral cords (usually only four in P. konos) with strong axial pliculae in their intervals. P nigromaculata (holotype examined, ZMAN 3.08.087, figured by Poppe et al. 2006) is less strongly keeled than P konos and is larger (length ca 10 mm), has finer, more numerous spiral cords and a much more prominent tooth at the base of the columella (additional figures provided by Tsuchida & Ikebe (1990), Tsuchida & Kurozumi (1992), Poppe et al. (2006) and Poppe & Tagaro (2008)). Also from the Philippines, the recently described Perrinia cecileae Poppe, Tagaro & Dekker, 2006 has a similar elevated conical profile and is of a similar size, but it has more numerous spiral cords above the periphery, a weaker peripheral keel on the spire whorls, and much stronger columella teeth. Turcica (Perrinia) morrisoni Ladd, 1966 from the Miocene and Recent of the Marshall Islands is more depressed, has a more granular sculpture and fewer, stronger peripheral stellations.

Distribution and habitat: South-western Indian Ocean; from northern Madagascar to Mozambique, extending south to the Great Kei River, Eastern Cape, South Africa; -47-250 m, living specimens -55-110 m, on varied substrata, but usually associated with sponge and coral rubble.