Shells very small to medium-sized, globose-conical, sturdy; spire with almost flat whorls and shallow sutures; last whorl very important; aperture provided with a complex set of labial and columellar teeth, folds or denticles; no operculum; margins often very developed, often erect.
 

The genus is nowadays monotypic. Shell fusiform, pointed posteriorly, round anteriorly; aperture tear-dropped, very acute adapically; labial and columellar margins in continuity; two strong columellar folds anteriorly placed; sometimes a third, smaller, at the two-thirds of the aperture.
 

« Shell […] fragile to somewhat solid, pale-yellow to purplish-red. Spire high, with up to 8 weakly convex whorls; first three whorls of teleoconch deeply pitted, with pits regularly arranged in spiral rows which diminish in number and vanish on the 3rd whorl; only one spiral row of hairs in juveniles. Body whorl about 70% of shell height, smooth, sometimes with a crown of hairs persisting on shoulder in younger, well preserved adults. Aperture about 80% of body whorl height, oval-elongated; inner lip with small, very oblique columellar tooth, strong anterior parietal tooth and usually one, sometimes more parietal teeth decreasing in size posteriorly; outer lip sharp, weakly reflected, commonly with one or more inner tubercles. Protoconch smooth, large, with 1.5 protruding whorls, leaving umbilicus-like slit in apex of shell… » – A. M. de F. Martin: “On the generic separation of Ovatella Bivona, 1832 and Myosotella Monterosato, 1906 (Pulmonata, Ellobiidae)”, Iberus vol.17(2), Barcelona 1999, p.67-68.
 

« Shell […] oval-elongated, moderately solid, pale-yellow to light-brown, faintly banded. Spire moderately high, with up to 8 weakly convex whorls; first half-whorl of teleoconch finely striated longitudinally, glabrous; remaining whorls hirsute in juveniles, becoming glabrous in adults which sometimes retain regularly arranged rows of pits where the periostracal hairs inserted; a marked subsutural furrow. Body whorl about 70-75% of shell height, more or less markedly spirally striated, at least near the suture and around the columellar tip. Aperture oval-elongated, about 75% of body whorl height, rounded at base; inner lip tridentate, with small, oblique columellar tooth, two subequal parietal teeth, anterior one roughly perpendicular to columella, lamellar, continuing inwards, posterior one oblique, sometimes downcurved, not continuing inwards; outer lip sharp, with one, rarely two inner tubercles, a callous ridge sometimes developing anteriorly. Juveniles pilose, the hairs arranged along spiral striae over the entire body whorl […]. Protoconch smooth, large, somewhat inflated, about 1.3 whorls, with rounded, slightly reflected peristome… » – A. M. de F. Martin: op. cit. p.60.
 

« We believe it useful to establish this section for small shells with Melampus facies, obtuse whorl, thickened labrum, cross-furrowed test. Pseudomelampus differ from true Melampus only by their furrowed test and their labrum not denticulated internally. They are distinguished from Alexia by their striated test, their obtuse whorl and the great development of their aperture. » – P. Pallary: “Coquilles marines du littoral du départment d’Oran”, Journal de Conchyliologie vol. 48 (3), p.240. – The genus is monotypic.