Shell small, narrow, tapering to a slender point, with spiral and slightly weaker axial riblets. Sculpture : Apical whorls smooth, the succeeding with 3 spiral and numerous slightly oblique longitudinal riblets forming rows of gemmules ; on the lower whorls the suture is margined with a minute beaded riblet ; this gradually strengthens, and on the last whorl forms a fourth spiral, with the headings less marked than on the rows immediately above ; beneath this a shallow groove, thence gently curved to the columella, and curving obliquely around the latter is a minute ridge which terminates at the canal ; of the 3 spiral rows of gemmules the 2 lower are the largest, and about equal to the interspaces ; on the last whorl there are about 17 to 20 gemmules per row; they are somewhat oval, sinning, and variously coloured. Colour light or dark brown, somewhat shining, the suture of the lower whorls, fourth spiral on the last, and base dark-purplish ; gemmules on the last whorl light brown, pale chestnut, and purple. Spire high and narrow, about three times the height of the aperture ; outlines nearly straight. Protoconch small, of 3,5 smooth convex whorls, nucleus oblique. Whorls 11-12, flatly convex, regularly increasing; base slightly concave, smooth. Suture deep. Aperture ovate, angled above, with a very short, slightly oblique, and deeply notched canal. Outer lip thin and sharp, angled at the junction with the basal lip. Columella short, nearly straight, inflexed towards the canal. Operculum unknown.
Diameter, 1,8 mm. ; height, 6,25 mm.
Type in the Dominion Museum, Wellington.
Hab.—Whangaroa Harbour, type (C. Traill) ; Kawhia Harbour, immediately within the entrance, on rocks at low tide (R. Murdoch); Plimmerton, Cook Strait ; off Otago Heads, dredged (A. Hamilton) ; Bounty and Snares Islands, in 50 fathoms (Captain Bollons) ; Banks Peninsula, under stones and on seaweeds (iredale).