Shells small to moderately large, more or less cypraeform, often thin-walled, often more slender than the true cowries, always with a labial margin devoid of teeth inside; « the most outstanding characteristic to be seen in this group is the transverse dorsal striation present in nearly all of the species (with only a few exceptions); only the cyphomids and a very small number of species in other genera lack this typical sculptural character. The dorsal striation may vary from being restricted in number over either terminal process, to a complete ornamentation of the dorsal surface, the base, and even the columella. Unlike the shells in the closely related family Cypraeidae, the ovulids are not, as a general rule, as spectacularly colored and ornamented. » – C. N. Cate: “A systematic revision of the recent cypraeid family Ovulidae”, The veliger suppl.15, Berkeley 1973, p.1.
 

« Shell ovate or narrow, subfusiform, with short extremities; labrum thickened; colulmella provided posteriorly with an oblique callous fold. » – P. Fischer: Manuel de conchyliologie et de paléontologie conchyliologique fasc.7, Paris 1884, p.664.
 

Shell small to medium-sized, biconical, gibbous, moderately thin-walled, with a short abapical terminal, a pointed adapical terminal, and a conspicuous bead on the adapical extremity of the inner lip (the funiculum); apex sunken in the spire, which is covered by the outer lip shoulder; fossula and columellar depression rather visible; outer lip denticulated inside.
 

Shell small, fusiform, thin-walled; adapical terminal short, pointed and/or slightly rostrate; transverse dorsal striae obsolete or grouped at the extremities; fossula shallow.