Shell small, conical, imperforate, spirally striated. Sculpture consisting of numerous fine and inconspicuous spiral striae, more distinct and a little further apart on the base. Colour cinereous, pink, or pinkish-brown, usually with white markings near the suture or tessellated with white ; sometimes a broad dark-brown band encircling the periphery of the whorls, and 1 on the centre of the base ; white zigzag-bands are sometimes adorning the last 2 or 3 whorls. Epidermis thin, slightly shining, easily worn off. Spire conical, as high as the aperture, a little convex, apex acute. Protoconch very small, consisting of 1,5 smooth slightly convex whorls. Whorls 6, slightly convex, the last obtusely angled at the periphery, and considerably expanded ; base flat. Suture linear, but little impressed. Aperture subrotund, oblique, inside mostly highly bluish-reddish iridescent and finely lirate. Outer lip strengthened by an inner white callosity. Columella vertical, concave. Inner lip broadly expanded, covering the umbilicus, and spreading as a broad white callosity over the parietal wall.
Hab.—East and west coast of the North Island : Hauraki Gulf, East Cape, Hokianga, Manukau Heads, Cook Strait, Bay of Islands. South Island : Banks Peninsula (Iredale). Chatham Islands.