Description. Shell size medium to moderately large, length up to 272.6 mm, ventricose, ovate or globose, thin becoming rather thick in old specimens. Protoconch position slightly above or slightly below shoulder of last whorl. Teleoconch of 154-3 whorls, whorl shoulders ornamented with a row of spines, occasionally absent in some specimens; early growth of spines occurs from half to seven eighths of first whorl, and terminates at outer lip. Spines long and broad at base, curved and decumbent to protoconch, closely spaced, 9-13 per whorl, length 6-32 mm. Protoconch dome-shaped, of 3-4 whorls, light yellowish-brown, spirally sculptured with fine radial striae, diameter 12.8-13.2 mm, height 6.2-7.6 mm. Apex convex or slightly depressed. Radial growth striae obvious, crossed with fine spiral striae. Colour light cream, usually with two to four rows of spiral dark brown spots which become weaker and finally disappear on new growth as shell reaches maturity. Aperture elongated in juvenile growth stage, ovate or semi-circular in adults; posterior outer lip curved, top inverted 'V’ shape; interior colour light cream; parietal wall and inside aperture glossy. Columella arched, with four oblique plaits, most posterior weakest. Siphonal canal notch wide and deep, fasciole well defined. Periostracum thin, light brown.

Melo tessellata is probably endemic to Indonesia, and is very closely related to M. melo. The main difference is that the shell of M. melo has a shoulder lacking spines, and the apex of M. melo usually is depressed. The ground colour of M, melo and M. tessellata is light cream with two to four rows of spiral dark brown spots and with a relatively thin shell and smaller size compared to other species of Melo. Several M. tessellata shells were found to have a concave top and no spines on the shoulder and in some specimens the last whorl growth rotation is away from the protoconch and yet in others there is an attempt to actually cover the protoconch. This type of freak morphology is sometimes found in the Bangka Belitung Islands, Southeast Sumatra and Kangean Islands, East Java. The prominent protoconch in the sub-adult shell of M. tessellata also differs from that of the sub-adult M. melo , in which the last whorl partially covers the protoconch.

Distribution. In Indonesia, M. tessellata lives off many islands of the Riau Archipelago at the north end of its range, in East Sumatra, and satellite islands in the waters of West Kalimantan. It also occurs in the Bangka Belitung Islands and their satellite islands, the waters east of Lampung, the Java Sea between Java and Kalimantan, along the Sunda Strait between Java and Sumatra to the east in the Kangean Islands and northern Bali. It also lives in the north of Banggai Island, Banggai Islands, Central Sulawesi
Habitat. On muddy sand from shallow water to a depth of 50 m. Specimens obtained from trawling and fishing nets (liong bun net).