As Cerithium decoratum:
Shell conic, turrited, sinistrorsal: white, dark reddish brown anteriorly, with many large rather square irregular spots of the same: with, on the upper whorls, two, and on the middle and lower whorls, three nearly equal spiral ridges, which are nearly concealed by numerous large nodules that are produced by the excessive development of the intersections of twenty-five to twenty-eight small transverse ridges on each whorl; anteriorly with two additional smaller or less strongly nodulous spiral ridges: apex very acute: spire with the outlines nearly rectilinear: whorls sixteen, planulate, with the place of the suture distinguished by a deeper groove; last whorl terminating very abruptly, so as to be concave between the periphery and the canal: aperture ovate-orbicular, modified a little by the penult whorl: canal strongly bent to the right, closed except near the extremity. This shell resembles C. ornatum Desh. , but that species has only ten or twelve whorls, its outlines are quite curvilinear and the last whorl terminates less abruptly.
Mean divergence about 20°; length .29 inch; breadth .085 inch.

Distribution: Texas, Florida; West Indies to Brazil and Bermuda. Size: 7 to 9 mm
Description: Color of base whitish-tan with irregular axial mottlings of reddish-brown, protoconch darker brown, base of shell brown; shape tall, narrow, conic; sculpture of spiral rows of rounded beads; early teleoconch whorls with 2 rows, latter whorls with 3 rows of rounded beads; rows of rounded axial cords; rounded beaded whorls form square inner spaces, which have microscopic axial threads; protoconch of axial threads crossed by 2 spiral threads; aperture subcircular; siphon abrupt.
Habitat: Tropical calcareous environments; rare on Miocene shale; at depths from 0 to 104 m (340 ft).
Remarks: In Texas found at the FGB, Stetson Bank, and continental shelf area. See Ode (1989b); Redfern (2001).
Synonym: Triphora decorata C. B. Adams, 1850.