Shells minute, rissoiform, imperforate. « The family is diagnosed by having: a pitted protoconch, a groove on the sole of the metapodium reaching its posterior end, and a single-layered operculum with an inner peg. This last character differentiates the Barleeidae from the Anabathridae. » – S. Gofas: “A remarkable species richness of the Barleeidae (Gastropoda: Rissoacea) in the Eastern Atlantic”, The Nautilus vol.109(1), Melbourne, Fla 1995, p.15.
 

Shell rather solid, with moderately convex whorls, often smooth or sometimes weakly spirally striated. « Aperture with simple peristome, angled but not channelled posteriorly, sub angled to rounded anteriorly. Outer lip usually prosocline, rarely orthocline or opisthocline, with or without varix, thin, with sharp edge […]. Protoconch paucispiral, dome-shaped… » &ndas; W. F. Ponder: “Review of the genera of the Barleeidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Rissoacea)”, Records of the Australian Museum vol.35, Sydney 1983, p.242.