A detailed description was provided by GOFAS (1999, original description). Adult shells studied by us with about five whorls, reaching almost 2 mm in height and nearly 1.4 mm in width. The appearance is similar to that of C. transitoria but is less cyrtoconoid. Sculpture of spiral cords, similar in width to their interspaces, crossed by axial ribs of similar size which give to the surface a reticulated appearance. In the body whorl there are about ten cords above the aperture being the subsutural somewhat more pronounced. Suture slightly canalicu-lated. The two studied shells were eroded and their original colour could not be appreciated.
Paucispiral protoconch with somewhat more 1.5 whorls and 0.38 mm in diameter. Irregularly arranged granules can be seen on the surface of the protoconch of the two specimens studied instead of arranged in spiral lines as GOFAS (1999) observed in the type specimens.

GOFAS (1999) pointed out the similarity of this species with C. transitoria from which it is clearly distinguished by its paucispiral protoconch. Because of its sculpture, it also has a certain resemblance to Alvania zylensis Gofas & Waren, 1982, a circalittoral species mainly restricted to the south of the Iberian Peninsula but it has also recorded in the Tyrrhenian Sea (AMATI, 1985) and in Gorringe Bank (AVILA & MALAQUIAS, 2003). Nevertheless, the paucispiral pro-toconch of the latter species exhibits a characteristic zigzag pattern of sculpture, similar to that of other Alvania species and this is why it is tentatively retained in that genus. However, this zigzag pattern of the protoconch is also present in some species of the genus Benthonellania (OLIVER & ROLAN, 2017) and therefore the generic significance of this character should be re-evaluated.

Previously known only from the type locality (outer shelf off Senegal), here we extend its geographic range northwards to Mauritania.