"Shell fusiform, 32-46 mm. (1,25-1,75 inches) in height with short canal, thin, shining, light yellowish-white. Nucleus wanting, remaining whorls 8 nearly regularly convex, very slightly excavated below the conspicuous but shallow suture in lower whorls, more so in upper ones. Sculpture consisting in the upper whorls of thick axial ribs, disappearing on the sixth whorl, which is 9-ribbed, the lower whorls are nearly smooth, but are sculptured under the lens by fine, strongly waved growth lines, more conspicuous at regular intervals; the whole shell crossed by very faint spirals, scarcely visible on the upper parts of whorls, stronger on the lower part, having the appearance of crowded lirae on the canal. Last whorl regularly attenuated below, ending in a short, wide canal. Aperture elongately oval, angular above, peristome with a wide but shallow sinus at the suture, then strongly protracted; columellar margin nearly straight, covered by a thin layer of enamel".
On the basis of "Albatross" material, in the United States National Museum from 305 fathoms off Borneo, a fresh specimen shows a colour pattern of porcellanous-white, with a broad zone of pale orange-brown, occupying most of the penultimate and body-whorl except for a moderately wide subsutural band, and a narrow second zone encircling the anterior end. The upper whorls are devoid of colour zones.

This species differs from praecipua only in being more slender, with a proportionately taller spire and the presence of distinct spiral striations on the neck and anterior end.

Indonesia, Borneo and Flores Sea, 305 to 417 fathoms.