The aperture is about 50% of the shell height, the spire is very short and the whorls are convex with deep sutures.

In the British Isles these areas are known as "dune slacks", and when in pristine condition, these hollows provide a specialized habitat for an unusual group of fauna and flora, which includes this species.Also on shallow flooded sandy or muddy and calcareous soils.

The range is suboceanic boreo-temperate (Ccnfined to western Europe and distributed mainly near coasts from France to south-east Sweden).

There are outliers inland in mountain areas of central Scandinavia and east Switzerland.

This species occurs in areas including: Catinella (Quickella) arenaria is scattered and rare due to its relict distribution, initially it was widespread at the end of the glacial period, and decreased after forest growth.