[1] (Original description in Latin) The shell is thin, fusiform, and narrow, with a shiny brown exterior contrasting with a shining white apex.

It has 6-7 whorls, the apical three being very light and vitreous, while the others are darkly but finely spirally striated and slightly brown.

The color of the shell is typically uniformly chestnut or darker brown, fading into white towards the apex.

The variety albens is completely colorless, possibly representing a bleached specimen.

The entire surface of the whorls is closely, but obscurely, spirally striated.