Shell extremely variable, from 4 to 75 mm, short to medium high spire, large convex or angulated last whorl, short to long siphonal canal. Protoconch multi-spiral, up to nearly five whorls, strongly ornamented either with axial cords, or diagonally cancellated. Teleoconch whorls convex, evenly rounded or angulated at shoulder, subsutural ramp from weakly concave to nearly straight or even weakly convex. Anal sinus subsutural, shallow, with deepest point on subsutural ramp. Axial sculpture extremely variable, ranging from absent to strongly arcuate varices. Spiral sculpture of variable cords or keels. Aperture from medium to high, widely ovate or ovate-pyriform.
Operculum absent (in all Raphitomidae).
Odontophore absent. Radula of short hypodermic marginal teeth with large base and wide basal opening, with or without barb(s) at the tip.