Shell small, thin, turreted, about 10 mm in height, dark brown in colour; spire with 12 whorls, each whorl slightly convex, protoconch of 2 whorls smooth and polished and pyramidal, body-whorl with narrow and flat base; suture distinctly constricted; surface reticulated with 5 narrow spiral cords and many growth ribs forming small spines at the crossing point; aperture roundly ovate, outer margin thin and slightly angulate corresponding to the endings of the spiral cords, columellar margin thickened and obliquely curved and reflexed; umbilicus closed.

This species is rather different from A. gazeoides and A. oyasionensis. It is rather small and looks like the genus Murdochella species, such as M. crispata Kilburn, 1985. However, the key to determine the genus is the protoconch. This species has a smooth protoconch like the genus Amaea species, while M. crispata has a sculptured one due to dense, arcuate axial riblets.

Sagami Bay to Tosa Bay, off the Pacific coast of Japan, in moderately deep water.