Columbellid gastropods comprise a diverse group of active, mostly epibenthic marine snails, most small (less than 20 mm) in size and often very common and /or diverse where they occur. They can be found in all coastal depths and a wide diversity of marine habitats. Most are opportunistic generalist carnivores.
Columbellid shells are usually biconic with spiral or axial sculptural elements, lacking spines or other processes. They generally resemble small buccinids, however some columbellid taxa strongly resemble members of other families, including conids, terebrids, mitrids or strombids. The one true diagnostic feature for the family is the form of the radular teeth (Radwin 1977), which have a unique stenoglossate morphology including an acuspate rectangular center plate and pincer-like lateral teeth that rotate on narrow bases. Columbellid taxonomy and relationships have since been based on characters of the shell and (to a lesser degree) the radula (e.g. Wilson 1994).
Diagnosis. Shell generally 5-25 mm long with determinate growth, biconic to terebriform; labial edge usually thickened, denticulate within in adults; columella smooth or weakly plaited, siphonal canal short, usually with shallow posterior canal along aperture edge. Animals colorful, long siphon, eyes large, foot long, narrow, elastic. Operculum corneous, usually drop-shaped. Radula stenoglossate, with rectangular, acuspate center plate; sigmoid, generally unicuspid laterals having 2-4 secondary cusps along inner edge.
Remarks. The primary distinguishing feature of the columbellids is the form of the radula; however radulae were not available for most of the material investigated herein.

Shell form and sculpture in this family is extremely variable. Shape varies from short and squat to elongate. Sculpture may be smooth, axially ribbed, spirally corded, or both, but a constant feature is spiral cords on the base. Shells show the overall features of the highly evolved gastropods, most noticeably a siphonal canal, in common with families such as Buccinidae, Nassariidae and Turridae. The specific shell features which assist in placement into the Columbellidae are:

* There is a very short siphonal canal, often little more than a gap at the anterior end of the aperture.
* Outer lip sinus: there is a sinus, or gap, in the top of the outer lip, a feature also found in the Turridae. In the Columbellidae it is usually shallow, but much deeper in the Turridae.
* Outer lip dentition: there are usually denticles inside the outer lip, although some species have just a single indistinct bulge. The strength of the denticles varies from species to species, and with growth stage of the shell. In some species the denticles are only developed in the most mature specimens, therefore only being seen in a small percentage of shells.
* Inner (columellar) lip dentition: the inner lip of the aperture is without plaits, providing a point of separation from Marginellidae, Mitridae, and Volutidae. There are often weak denticles on the inner lip, aligned on an axial ridge just inside the edge of the callus, but these also tend to be restricted to mature shells.