Shell: Medium size, rather thin, fusiform with spiral cords. Whorls 5i, including a slightly swollen protoconch of 1,5 whorls, smooth except for 3-4 weak axial ribs on last whorl, terminated by a distinct varix. Teleoconch with convex whorls, subangled in middle of each whorl by uppermost of two strong, rounded spiral cords on lower half of all whorls. Shoulder almost flat, with weak spirals (4-5 on body whorl), these stronger as they approach the periphery. In a small (male) paratype the lowest shoulder spiral is nearly equal in strength to the upper main spiral. A rather weak cord emerges from the suture on the penultimate whorl. Base with numerous, rather weak, spiral cords (about 36 in holotype); the uppermost 1-2 basal spirals nearly equal in strength to the two mam spirals. Axial sculpture of fine, dense growth lines, slightly and evenly curved corresponding to the weak apertural sinus. Whole surface covered with very fine, dense, irregular spiral striae. Outer lip with a slight posterior concavity a little below suture, thin (in the one paratype which appears to be mature), with a little external thickening but no varix. Inner lip a thin glaze with a distinct boundary. There is no apertural ornament. Anterior canal long, initially nearly straight, then twisted to the right and behind. Anterior end of canal notched. Operculum: Thin, semi-transparent, yellowish-brown, with distinct growth lines and sub-apical nucleus.
Radula: Ribbon 3 mm long, with wide lateral teeth and small central teeth. Lateral teeth curved, each with 9 cusps, the inner and outermost cusps small, the remainder large, heavy, and curved slightly inwards. There is a short, blunt projection on outer end of each lateral tooth. Central teeth rather weakly developed, less thickened than lateral teeth. Each central tooth with 3 short, sharp cusps, frequently broken off, the median cusp slightly larger. Base barely distinguishable from radular membrane.
Head-foot: Rather small, unpigmented. A pair of broad, short (contracted) cephalic tentacles lie close together with the eyes at their outer bases.
Anatomy: (Preservation rather poor.) Mantle cavity normal buccinacean. Osphradium large, broad, brown, bipectinate. Ctenidium normal, a little narrower than the osphradium. Hypobranchial gland appears to be well-developed. Male with large, broad penis 3.2mm long, lying transversally across right side of body at opening to mantle cavity; attached near base of right cephalic tentacle. Ejaculatory duct muscular, slightly convoluted and opens into the straight, narrow pallial sperm duct on the right side of the mantle cavity. There is apparently no distinct prostate gland. Pallial oviduct massive, occupying all of the right pallial wall in the female; appears to be typically " buccinid " in structure (Fretter, 1941), but no ingesting gland could be distinguished. This was apparently not due to the poor preservation of the specimen as all of the other structures in the pallial genital duct could be located. The specimen may not have been sexually mature, although the size of the capsule gland suggested that it was. There is no anal gland.
Type material:
Holotype H: 25.0mm D: 9.6mm
Paratypes H: 19.5 / 20 mm D: 9.0mm / 8 mm
Locality: Portobello R. V. Munida station Mu 67-142; 171°02'E, 45°5I'S, 730 metres in Papanui Canyon, Otago coast, New Zealand (4 specimens).