Shell cylindrical, vertical; spiral sometimes very loosely coiled, or the volutions are close together, giving the shell a Cyclostoma-like appearance; surface rugose, nucleus smooth. Colour pink, dead shells white to brown, white in alcohol. Operculum circular, brown, with numerous horny divergent and multifid corneous bristles. According to the figure given by Quoy and Gaimard, the bristles are multifid at their base, with a long simple median bristle.
Length of shell, 13-18 mm.
Animal having the foot long, cylindrical, with the operculum at its extremity. In front of the snout is a median vertical funnel-shaped appendix, which can be stretched out. Foot with a small pointed tubercle on the right side. Head elongated, tentacles very short, eyes at their base outside. The respiratory cavity is ample, branchia yellow, extending exteriorly above the mantle. The whole animal black, with yellowish.
Type in the Mus. Hist. Nat., Paris.
Hab.—Thames River, in considerable depth, type (Q. & G.) ; Rangitoto Channel, in 4 fathoms (H. S.).