Diagnosis: Shell more or less fusiform, b/1 0,36-0,43, a/1 0,44-0,48; spire more or less orthoconoid, spire angle 25°-49°, whorls generally flattened, although a callus band at suture may project slightly, forming a slight angle at its anterior margin; primary spire callus a thin glaze, exposing protoconch, its surface faintly microshagreened in places, on anterior part of whorl sometimes with 2-4 weak spiral lirae; secondary callus forming a rather thin, milky, linguiform deposit at termination of penultimate (and sometimes antepenultimate) whorl; outer lip in side-view opisthocline and concave, without a distinct ancillid tooth; siphonal canal shallowly and asymmetrically notched; columella pillar rather wide, with 4-6 plicae, some fusing, its basal sinus forming a wide, shallow concavity; anterior and posterior fasciolar bands slightly declivous, anterior band usually subdivided by an inconspicuous groove; ancillid groove shallow to absent. Greyish-pinkish-brown, sutural band white with brownish-orange marks or brownish-orange with a white anterior margin, body whorl with a median row of blotches or squares, fasciolar bands tinged with buff. Maximum length 30 mm.
Description (shallower water bathymorph): Shell somewhat ovate-fusiform, with relatively broad base; b/1 0,40-0,43, a/1 0,44-0,52; body whorl moderately convex on both sides, shallowly concave at ancillid band and towards base of outer lip, greatest width of body whorl posterior to its median. Spire more or less orthoconoid, protoconch and 1st teleoconch whorl flat-sided, 2nd whorl with a strongly convex subsutural callus (sometimes initially occupying entire whorl), delimited from the slightly concave anterior part of whorl by a slight to distinct angle; penultimate whorl more evenly convex; anterior part of each whorl sometimes with 2-4 thin, weak spiral lirae; spire angle 35°-49°. Primary callus rather thin, glazing but not obliterating suture and exposing protoconch; surface only moderately glossy, being extremely finely microshagreened; secondary callus forming an inconspicuous, milky linguiform deposit at termination of penultimate whorl, merging with parietal callus.
Aperture oblanceolate, angularly rounded posteriorly, greatest width more or less median, outer lip opisthocline and distinctly concave in side-view, projecting bluntly at termination of ancillid groove; siphonal canal shallowly and asymmetrically notched; inner lip strongly and evenly concave, columella projecting angularly at entrance to siphonal canal; columella pillar rather wide, only moderately twisted, its termination blunt, basal sinus widely and shallowly concave; columella plicae 4-6, outer pair strongest, some fusing, intervals finely but distinctly microshagreened. Anterior fasciolar groove wide and shallow, anterior fasciolar band fairly narrow and slightly declivous, divided by a deep to slight groove (rarely trifid); posterior fasciolar band thick and often tumid, slightly declivous; ancillid groove very shallow, its band not depressed. Median zone of body whorl with fine, somewhat pliculate growth lines.
Ground colour greyish-pinkish-brown, subsutural callus cream-coloured with a series of orange-brown marks, to orange-brown with a cream anterior border, median zone with a second series of conspicuous orange-brown squares and chevrons adjacent to ancillid groove; fasciolar bands buff, columella pillar white. Protoconch bluntly conical, of about 2 smooth whorls, white to pale buff, diameter about 1,20-1,30 mm (but base covered by callus). Dimensions: 20,6 x 8,2 mm (holotype); largest shallow water paratype 22,7 mm (lip broken). Operculum thin, filling aperture, translucent amber, nucleus eccentric, near termination. Radula: Typical of genus, rachidian with small median cusp and stronger side cusps, which on the outside of their base bear a variable number of small denticles; 66-74 rows of plates. Foot flesh-coloured, speckled with blackish-brown.
Deep water form (250-450 m): Shell narrower (b/1 0,36-0,40, spire angle 25°-35°), spire whorls smooth and flattened throughout, secondary callus deposit thinner but more extensive, reaching antepenultimate whorl; sides of body whorl not concave anteriorly; columella plicae relatively strong; pattern fainter, ancillid band sometimes demarcated only by its pale coloration; slightly larger (length up to 30 mm).

Together with Amalda scopuloceti, Amalda lindae is well characterised by its concave, rather retarded outer lip and a body whorl that bears a conspicuous submedian band of orange-brown spots or squares on a flesh-coloured ground (see under A. scopuloceti for distinguishing features). Observed variation in lindae would appear to be correlated with depth, individuals from the continental slope being more acuminate and differing in other details from shallower water specimens (see under description), although both forms occur at a depth of 250-300 m and intermediates are present (the holotype is one such annectent specimen). The apex of the shelf form of A. lindae often has a peculiar telescoped appearance, caused by the flattened initial whorls being abruptly succeeded by whorls with a convex subsutural zone. The deep water form shows superficial similarity to some members of the problematic genus Turrancilla von Martens, 1904; however, the latter differ in the fasciolar bands occupying the base as high as the mid-parietal region, in the absence of a colour pattern and ancillid groove, in the operculum having a terminal nucleus, and in the strongly arched rachidian plate to the radula.

South-Africa. Distribution: Outer continental shelf and upper slope of Transkei in 174-450 m, mainly on coarse sand and sponge rubble.