Metaxia tricarinata (Pease, 1861b). Length, 8 mm; diameter, 2.5 mm (type dimensions). Shell: comparatively large, conical; with three spiral rows of sharply pointed nodules on each whorl; glistening chestnut brown. Spire: protoconch of one whorl, not sharply demarcated from the spire and with two spiral keels; teleoconch of seven or eight convex whorls; suture shallow, impressed. Sculpture: spiral sculpture of three sharply beaded cords on each whorl, four on the last whorl, sometimes with a faint spiral at the suture; peripheral cords most conspicuous, adapical cords almost obsolete; axial sculpture of arcuate riblets with wider interspaces inter-secting the spiral cords and forming rectangular depressions between them; base smooth and concave. Aperture: subquadrate; simple; columella straight; siphonal canal barely produced. Color: glistening chestnut brown. These shells are uncommon, found in beach drift.
M. tricarinata was described from the Hawaiian Islands. The shells are distinguished from those of other cerithiopsids by their large size, conspicuous beading, and short protoconch.