Shell up to 58.3 mm in length. Lanceolate, angular, broadly ovate, weakly spinose, squamous and nodose. Spire high with conical protoconch of 2+ whorls (partly broken in a paratype, eroded or broken in other specimens) and up to 7 broad, weakly convex, angular, weakly shouldered, spinose and nodose whorls.
Axial sculpture of teleoconch whorls consisting of low, strong, narrow, rounded, nodose ribs and high, narrow, rounded, weakly spinose varices. Last whorl with 3 narrow, rounded, weakly spinose varices, webbed on abapical part of whorl, webbing extending on siphonal canal. Intervarical sculpture of last whorl consisting of two moderately narrow, high axial ribs
with higher node close to preceding varix. Spiral sculpture of primary, secondary and tertiary nodose cords. Primary cords moderately high and broad. Spiral sculpture of subsutural ramp of last whorl with adis, IP, abis, followed by P1, s1, P2, s2, P3, s3, P4, s4, P5, s5, P6, s6 on convex part of whorl; P4-P6 slightly broader and higher. Secondary cords narrow, except s6 of similar in strength to P1-P3. Tertiary cords very narrow.
Aperture relatively small, ovate. Columellar lip narrow, smooth abapically, with weak folds adapically and low parietal tooth. Rim partially erect, a small portion adherent at adapical extremity. Anal notch shallow, broad. Outer lip erect, crenulated, with very weak, narrow lirae within.
Siphonal canal long, 40-43% of shell length, broad, weakly dorsally recurved, narrowly open, with dorsally recurved, webbed ADP, (ads), MP, ms, ABP and bs spines, similar in strength to P4-P6; ADP spine occasionally shorter.
Protoconch, with first and second teleoconch whorls light pink. Subsutural ramp to P2 cream or light tan with traces of light brown on spiral cords; orange or dark brown between P2 and P6 or between P2 and ABP; P6 and s6 occasionally white. One paratype creamy white with some orange spots between P2 and s6, s6 light orange; creamy white between s6 and tip of siphonal canal. Aperture white with narrow brown line on outer apertural edge, line often extending on right edge to tip of siphonal canal; ventral left part of siphonal canal white.

A paratype of Chicomurex excelsus has a partly preserved protoconch with an intact last whorl and a partly intact penultimate whorl. The morphology of these whorls, and the presence of a narrow keel on the abapical part of the last whorl (Fig. 7K) suggest a conical protoconch as observed in a few other species. Chicomurex excelsus is closest to C gloriosus but consistently differs in having a lower spire in relation to the shell length (approximately 35% of total shell length, as opposed to 38-40% in C. gloriosus) and a longer siphonal canal (40-43% of total shell length compared to 35-40% in C. gloriosus). It also has a less rounded, more angular last teleoconch whorl, narrower axial varices, lower intervarical axial nodes, a less scabrous shell and webbed spines on the siphonal canal whereas these are never webbed in C. gloriosus.
Chicomurex excelsus differs from C. pseudosuperbus in having a smaller shell compared to the number of teleoconch whorls, a less rounded teleoconch whorl, a slightly lower spire, and a less scabrous shell with strongly webbed spines on the siphonal canal instead of separate long spines as in C. pseudosuperbus. Chicomurex excelsus further differs from C. venustulus, a species currently known only from the Marquesas, in having a larger shell, reaching almost twice the length of an adult C. venustulus with a same number of teleoconch whorls. Chicomurex excelsus also has a less rounded last teleoconch whorl, a less scabrous shell and a comparatively longer siphonal canal.

Type locality. Philippines, Bohol Island.
Distribution. Indo-W. Pac. (P). Southern Philippines Islands and Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands, living at 150-200 m.