Shell pupiform to cylindrical, of up to five strongly convex whorls; aperture with five teeth: a lamella-like ridge on parietal wall (usually in two lobes), another somewhat weaker on columella, a peg-like tooth inside basal lip and two similar ones inside outer lip, the lower of which is usually larger; except for parietal tooth, all teeth are set well back in aperture; edge of aperture thin and flaring; sculpture variable, some specimens with distinct oblique axial threads, others almost smooth, both often heavily encrusted with detritus; umbilicus open, but narrow. Lustreless, yellowish-white to buff, apertural teeth whitish. Length up to 2.3 mm.
Widely distributed in the drier parts of southern Africa including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, and nearly all provinces in South Africa; in the eastern region it is recorded only from north-eastern and central KwaZulu-Natal (Maputaland, the Thukela Basin and the Midlands), but will almost certainly occur throughout, where habitat is suitable. Occurs in a wide range of drier woodland, thicket and savanna habitats, and has also been found in dune forest; usually lives in sheltering situations, such as beneath trees, under fallen logs and dead aloes, and in accumulations of plant debris amongst rocks; common.
KwaZulu-Natal specimens generally have more convex whorls and stronger sculpture than those from elsewhere.