Shell small, rather broad, creamy-white, ovate-elongate. Whorls 44, including a smooth polished protoconch of H whorls. Spire subequal to the height of the aperture plus canal. Whorls rounded, sutures a little impressed, body whorl constricted rather suddenly across base. Sculpture of rather widely-spaced, slightly incised, narrow spiral grooves which gradually develop on the first whorl of the teleoconch, but well marked and some 8 in number on the penultimate whorl, about 28 on the body whorl, base, and neck of canal. All whorls sculptured with fine, regular growth lines. Aperture elongate, parallel sided. Outer lip thin, cut back anteriorly. Columella vertical. Inner lip a glaze over the parietal region, with a well-defined edge. Height. 4,5 mm.; diameter, 2,2 mm. Locality: Portobello Alert Station 54-17, off east Otago coast, in 260 to 350 fathoms.

The wide shell, constricted base, cut-back outer lip, and fine regular spiral sculpture render this species distinctive amongst known forms of Zemitrella in New Zealand.