As Epitonium gissleri:
Shell small, pure white; nuclear whorls 3, smooth, forming a regu¬lar continuation to the turreted spire; postnuclear whorls 6, well rounded, separated by a deep suture, regularly enlarging; axial sculpture of 8 high, rather thick varices which meet and fuse in the sutures and ascend the spire in a continuous line approximately parallel with the right side of the shell; over their entire length these varices are narrowly reflected, and only show a slight angle at the shoulder of the whorls; on the base the varices continue without change to the junction with the columellar lip; spiral sculpture absent; aperture nearly circular; columellar lip curved, broad and much thickened anteriorly, extending posteriorly to the junction with the outer lip which is thickened by the last varix. The type measures: length, 4.8 mm; diameter, 2.3 mm.
Holotype: No. 723 (Calif. Acad. Sci. Paleo. Type Coll.), from Loc. 27,228 (C.A.S.), dredged in from 3 to 9 fms. off Taboga Island, Panama. L. G. Hertlein collector. Six additional specimens were dredged at the same locality.
The small size and small number of high, thick varices will serve to distinguish this species from all known species on the west coast.