Shell to 27.0 mm in length, fusiform-elongate, solid and shining, teleoconch of 7-8 convex whorls, protoconch of 3 smooth, glassy, conical embryonic whorls. Post-embryonic whorls sculptured with 3-5 flattish spiral cords and small pits in interspaces, cords becoming less prominent on last 3 whorls; penultimate whorl with 5-6 obsoletely pitted spiral grooves, intervening spiral cords only slightly elevated or completely flat, body whorl with 14-17 spiral grooves, grooves generally prominent only near suture and almost obsolete on remainder of body whorl and visible as finely incised smooth lines. Aperture narrow and fusiform, longer than the spire, smooth within, edge of outer lip smooth, columella glazed and with 5-6 folds, siphonal notch distinct, siphonal canal straight. Pinkish white in color, ornamented with 1-3 reddish brown spiral lines on penultimate whorl and 7-12 lines on the body whorl; additional narrow, wavy and occasionally chevron-shaped axial lines bisect the spirals.

The nearest relative is I. fulgetrum (Reeve) but the radulae of the two species are distinctly different.

Range - From Japan to the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Subtidal, 128-183 m.