The species differs from S. aurantia primarily in colour, and partly in sculpture. The shell is uniformly fawn to light tan and lacks the pale transverse band on the whorls; in some small, but mature individuals, there are a few nebulous white spots on the body whorl. In some specimens from India, the pale subsutural band is only faintly visible. The aperture is off-white, the columella is white and sometimes flushed with brown; the spiral cords are narrower than in the subspecies aurantia, and number from 5-6 on the penultimate and up to 25 on the body whorl. The aperture is about equal in height or longer than the spire.

Gulf of Oman to Goa, W. coast of India.