The shell is large for the genus (maximum length 20 mm) and moruloid to fusiform. The spire is high and acute, consisting of two and one-half convex, papillose nuclear whorls and five or six weakly convex postnuclear whorls. The suture is weakly marked. The body whorl is moderately large and roughly fusoid. The aperture is narrow and subovate, with a narrow, moderately shallow anal sulcus, this parietally delimited by a broad low node. The outer apertural lip is nonerect and smooth at its margin; the inner surface of the outer lip bears four prominent denticles recessed a short distance from the apertural margin, the denticles diminishing in prominence anteriorly. The columellar lip is entirely adherent, and bears three oblique, elongate denticles at its anterior end. The siphonal canal is moderately short, open, and barely bent to the left.
The existence of varices is difficult to determine; one or more apparent varices may occur erratically on the shell, but their number and position are never consistent. The animal does apparently pause briefly after the formation of each costa, but these do not constitute varices by our definition of the term. Axial sculpture consists of seven to ten low ridges, prominent where they intersect the spiral elements. Spiral sculpture consists of five major cords on the body and one or two on the canal: one cord is subsutural, one is at the shoulder margin, and the remaining three are distributed evenly over the lower half of the body. Where these cords intersect the costae, sharp nodules are developed. Between each two major cords is a series of six to ten fine threads.
Shell color is dark brown-black or blue-black, darkest on the nodules. In some specimens the shoulder-margin major cord and another cord at the base of the body bear white spots between the nodules. The aperture is blue-gray, with brown markings at its margin. The denticles in the aperture are white.

Distribution: South Carolina; Texas; Brazil; Bermuda. Size: 12 to 20 mm .
Description: Color dark purplish-brown, but often covered in coralline algae; shape elongate-conic; sculpture studded with spirally/axially arranged nodules of black beads, with fine spiral threads covering the surface of teleoconch; protoconch almost always worn; fresh shells have approximately 4 distinct denticles on inner surface of outer lip; parietal shield narrow and smooth; aperture long and ovate with abrupt anal and siphonal canals.
Habitat: Under rocks and in coral rubble at depths from surface to 21 m (70 ft). Remarks: In Texas found at Seven and One-half Fathom Reef and Stetson Bank. See Tunnell and Chaney (1970); Lipka (1974); Redfern (2001). Synonym: Mitra nodulosa (C. B. Adams, 1845).

Southeastern Florida to southern Brazil; Texas (offshore reefs).