Shells small, turriform, usually sinistral. An exact determination of the species often requires the study of the protoconch and of the radula. The sculpture is made up of spiral rows of nodules on the whole body, with additional spirals (not necessarily nodulose) on the base. Adults are recognizable by their expanded labial margin.
 

The shell is less slender than in most of the other genera. Protoconch planktotrophic, pustulose on top, with two spiral ridges crossed by thin radials; on the first whorl, the pustules progessively align radially; on the following whorls they form the radials, slightly sinuous. Teleoconch larger on its abapical half, not far from the middle of the shell (Cheirodonta decollata) or around its last third (Cheirodonta pallescens); the spiral 2 appears after 1 and 3; spiral 3 begins in the continuation of the second spiral of the protoconch.
 

The shell is almost similar to that of Cheirodonta, but much more slender. Protoconch: egg shell granulose; larval shell multispiral with axial ribs and two spirals. Teleoconch: larger on its abapical half, not far from the last third of the shell height; three visible spiral cords of buttons per whorl, the median one appearing last. Whorls flat, suture indistinct.
 

Conchologically, the shells look similar to those of Cheirodonta or Similiphora, but with a more slender shape. Protoconch: embryonal shell granulose apically; larval shell multispiral, unicarinate on the first whorl, bicarinate below. Teleoconch: whorls rather flat, with 3 visible granulose cords per whorl, and a fourth one, smooth, almost entirely hidden in the suture; the cord 2 appears after cords 1 and 3, around the 8th-10th whorl; the two basal cords are smooth; no additional cord before the peristome. « I dedicate this genus to Bruce Marshall of the National Museum of New Zealand for the quality of his work on New Zealand Mollusca. » – P. Bouchet: “Les Triphoridae de Méditerranée et du proche Atlantique (Mollusca, Gastropoda)”, Lavori SIM vol.21, p.44.
 

Shell tall, thin, and dextral. Protoconch multispiral, adorned of numerous spiral zigzag lines on its first whorls; the following whorls bear radials, slightly sinuous adapically and broken prosocline abapically. Teleoconch with 5 spirals, the four first cords appearing immediately and rapidly beaded; the fifth one, almost hidden in the suture, remaining smooth; whorls slightly convex.
 

Shell less slender than in Metaxia. Protoconch adorned of numerous cruciform tubercles on its embryonal shell; first whorls with two spiral keels crossed by numerous radials. Teleoconch with 4 spirals; the spiral 2 appears after 1 and 3; the fourth one remains hidden in the suture and appears only in the last whorl.
 

Protoconch: embryonal shell covered by minute pustules; first whorl with two spiral keels crossed by numerous radials; the first keel progressively fades so that the following whorls bear only one keel; the radials slightly sinuous. Teleoconch with 4 spirals; the spiral 2 appears after 1 and 3; the fourth one remains hidden in the suture and appears only in the last whorl. Suture deep, whorls flat. This is the only mediterranean genus with the protoconch unicarinate.
 

Protoconch: embryonal shell covered by minute pustules; on the first whorl, the pustules progessively align radially; on the following whorls the two spiral keels appear one after the other, the radials become sinuous. Teleoconch with 4 spirals; the spiral 2 appears after 1 and 3; the fourth one, slightly nodulose, remains hidden in the suture and appears only in the last whorl.