20-25 mm

Protoconch corroded. Postnatal whorls 6, apical whorls more or less corroded; profile of whorls moderately convex, shoulder distinct, base rather ventricose. Oblique axial ribs on penultimate and ultimate whorls 26-30, from shoulder to suture below, more or less traceable on base; spiral lirae 7-8 or 9 on sulcus; ribs crossed by 8-10 spiral lirae below shoulder, c. 20-24. on base (main and intermediaries). Growth-lines distinct across sulcus, often forming pliculae, nearly straight on upper half, curved when nearing the shouldrr. Columella curved, canal wide, very short. 25-5 x 11.5 mm. and 21 X 11 mm. No operculum. White.
Animal greenish, no eyes, Radula with 21 pairs of short dagger-like, unbarbed teeth (similar to those of G. verecunda).

Shell 26.0 x 11.8 dim, with 7,5 preserved whorls, greyish-white, covered by thin periostracum Protoconch whorls eroded, probably partly missing. Early teleoconch whorls with only a slight angulation at periphery. Towards bodywhorl, whorls become more angulate, subsutural ramp becomes concave. Sutures shallowly channeled. Axial ribs begin in lower part of subsutural ramp, numerous (27 on body and penultimate whorls), narrow, oblique, with sharp crests. Two ribs may rarely merge together near whorl shoulder. Subsutural ramp covered by thin arcuate folds following traces of anal sinus. Folds are not always continuations of axial ribs, and are more numerous than latter (41 on bodywhorl, plus several similar short folds that do not reach lower part of subsutural ramp). Spiral sculpture of narrow, flattened, widely spaced cords covering entire shell surface. Cords on subsutural ramp more closely spaced. Interspaces between cords bear thinner secondary thread.

This species has all the characteristics of Gymnobela Verrill, 1884. It is most similar to the North Atlantic G.engonia Verrill, 1884 (type species of the genus) and differs from the latter mainly in having less angulate whorls, less oblique axial ribs, and fainter spiral sculpture The radula of G. glaucocreas, described by Barnard as similar to that of G. verecunda (Barnard, 1963), also has much in common with that of G. engonia (see Bouchet & Waren, 1980, fig. 26).

Deep Sea

South Africa