Protoconch of 3 smooth whorls. Teleoconch with 14 axial ribs on body whorl, spiral sculpture consisting of 10 basal lirae and a shallow subsutural groove. Pale brown in colour, upper part of each whorl white; brown area on body-whorl often delimited posteriorly by a darker line, but anteriorly it becomes paler towards the base. Length varies from 2,9 to 3,2 mm. Our specimens were compared with topotypes. Always found as empty shells in hand-dredged sand from 12-90 m, apart from one specimen from 460-490 m and 2 from 930-980 m (Marion-Dufresne dredg-ings). Uncommon.

The shell in this species is 2.75 to 3.5 mm long, white to off-white, usually rather obese, with 3 to 3.5 teleoconch whorls. The body whorl is straw-coloured in some, and in this case there is a narrow white band below the suture, which is somewhat channeled; in many specimens the shell is entirely white. The aperture is narrow and sinuous, with a raised parietal edge and many fine labial teeth. The protoconch is the one strongly coloured part of the shell, and is generally reddish-brown at the apex with a moderate mid-whorl carina. It has 2.75 to 3 whorls.