Description (based on holotype): Claviform (breadth/length 0.38), spire orthoconoid, becoming somewhat cyrtoconoid on later part, aperture/total length 0.41; suture shallow, not undulating, whorls high and adpressed to previously whorl, slightly tumid, then shallowly concave at midwhorl on early whorls, 0.3 below suture on later ones, indenting but not cutting axial ribs, lower part of whorls gently convex; outer lip not distinctly alate. Aperture obliquely quadrate, columella relatively straight, callus fairly thick, with slightly free edge; siphonal canal wide, end obliquely truncate, shallowly indented; outer lip in side view evenly convex, except for deep, linguiform anal sinus, which is constricted by large parietal pad; stromboid notch deep and wide.
Axial ribs relatively weak, opisthocline, arcuate, weak and procurved below suture, sinuous and reaching basal cords on last whorl, in t/s very low, slightly angular, narrower than their intervals, ten on first teleoconch whorl, 12 on penultimate one. Varix of composite axial ribs, about 0.3 whorl behind outer lip, moderately swollen. Rostrum with 6-7 spiral ridges. Microsculpture of dense, uniform spiral threads, and more irregular collabral ones.
Off-white with an occasional rather diffuse blotch of orange-brown, crossed by inconspicuous darker spiral lines of that colour, aperture and protoconch white.
Protoconch slightly papilliform, of ca 1.5 smooth whorls, suture initially indistinct, breadth 0.66 mm.
Measurements of holotype: 12.0 x 4.5 mm.
Radula. Not available.

The holotype of Pleurotoma moquiniana is somewhat similar to the widely distributed Clavus pica (Reeve, 1843), but axial ribs are fewer (12 instead of 18-21), spiral microsculpture is finer and the latter species has conspicuous brown spiral lines. No examples are represented in the present New Caledonian samples, and Clavus moquinianus appears to be known only from the holotype.

New Caledonia.