Dark brown to grey-black and dull; pronotum flanged laterally and with two raised longitudinal ridges almost meeting at its base to form a 'U' shape around a median depression; elytra with widely spaced well defined narrow ridges.

The species has been known as Burnsiellus trisulcata but the epithet needs to match Burnsiellus in gender and thus becomes trisulcatus in accordance with Article 31.2 of The International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (- see notes under B. marmoratus).

Currently only known in SA by 3 specimens from two localities. Interestingly, one specimen was taken at a light.