Shell elongate, ovate, height 18.9 mm, width 8.8 mm, extremely thin, shining. Planktotrophic protoconch with approximately 3 carinated whorls. Teleoconch with 5 whorls with numerous narrow, flat, equally-sized axial ribs all over the shell, crossed by numerous, even so low spiral ribs, resulting in square to oblong interstices. Suture prominently ledged, with a subsutural row of fine granules.
Aperture oval, outer lip thin, edge somewhat turned backwards, anteriorly with 5-6 fine blunt denticles. Columella smooth and shiny. Columellar callus thin and passing into a thin and glazy enamel on part of ventral side of last whorl, nearly up to the suture. Parietal denticle nearly absent, anal canal wide. Siphonal area with eight ribs.
Shell white, with yellowish-brownish tinge all over the shell, except on the first 1—2 teleoconch whorls, the outer lip, the siphonal canal and the columella.
Variation: Color varies among different shades of brown. Some specimens have a white spire and yellow bands on the dorsal part of the last whorl. Some specimens are deeper channeled or have fewer axial and spiral ribs on the last whorl. Size from 11.5 to 20.0 mm.

The combination of sculpture and fragility of the shell are species-specific in comparison with other nassariid species. The shell of N. houbricki sp. nov. is similar in shape but larger in size, thicker, with stronger axial ribs. Nassarius alabasteroides is larger and more elongate than N. martinezi sp. nov. which has a thinner shell. The sculpture of N. noguchii Habe, 1958 is somewhat comparable with that of N. martinezi sp. nov., but the shell of the former is smaller, not as thin and less fragile.

The species lives at depths of 168-372 m, from New Caledonia to the Solomon Islands, Fiji and Tonga. Type locality : New Caledonia, Norfolk Ridge, Munida Bank, 23°02'S, 168°21'E, 295-330 m