Carinapex papillosa is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Horaiclavidae.

(Original description) The small, solid shell has an elongate-oblong shape.

It contains 8 convex whorls, constricted beneath the suture and spirally granulose.

The granules are rather large, three rows on the whorls of the spire, the lower one obsolete.

The base is contracted, spirally ridged and produced into a short, obtuse, open siphonal canal.