Shell: Elevated trochiform (L/D=l .24-1.5); apical angle 50-60°; teleoconch of up to 7.5 whorls (apical ones frequently badly eroded or missing); apex truncated; spire whorls somewhat flat-sided, but still retaining a degree of curvature; periphery angular, but not keeled; suture inserted below peripheral angle, level with subperipheral cord creating a narrow channel. First teleoconch whorl sculptured initially only with axial pliculae (±30); 3-4 spiral cords develop during second whorl; cords crossed by crispate axial pliculae; third and subsequent whorls with 5-6 broad, rather uneven spiral cords above and including peripheral one; subsutural cord rendered coronate by well-developed triangular nodules arising from approximately alternate axial pliculae; nodules frequently apically bifid on later whorls; interaction of spiral and axial elements producing a foveolate sculpture with rectangular to D-shaped pits; shell also sculptured by broad, opisthocline (rarely orthocline) ribs, stronger in some specimens than others, 11-15 on last adult whorl; ribs for the most part arising from subsutural coronations (not invariably), strongest at periphery and rendering shell circumference undulant or even weakly stellate (infrequent). Base sculptured by 6-8 spiral cords; cords near umbilicus weaker than those toward periphery; axial pliculae evident in cord intervals, especially that between peripheral and subperipheral cords, weakest and almost obsolete near umbilicus; pliculae interact with cords causing some weak granulation of the latter; umbilicus closed in adults, but patent in very young individuals. Peristome oblique; aperture D-shaped, flattened at parietal and columella lips; columella (at maturity) with a relatively prominent tooth approximately one third of length from basal lip, occasionally also with a very low swelling apical to this; interior of outer lip with up to 16 spiral lirae running into aperture (only in mature shells), those nearest shell axis may terminate on base of columella and appear as small denticles below columella tooth; outer lip prosocline, its margin thin, but becoming thicker internally.
Microsculpture : Juvenile shell with finely granular microsculpture, vermiform spiral threads not evident; adult shell with well-developed scratch-like microsculpture, which is filled with intritacalx deposit in fresh shells. Protoconch: Translucent white; diameter ca 260 µm; not projecting above first teleoconch whorl, shell apex thus appearing truncated and somewhat tilted; missing or badly eroded in most specimens; surface sculptured with a fine, irregular granulation; terminal lip strongly angled above mid-whorl. Colour: Ground colour generally greyish white to pale buff; basal spiral cords commonly marked with brown flecks; some specimens with a reddish or brown spiral band below suture and another at periphery; entire surface covered with off-white, chalky intritacalx deposit. One specimen almost entirely brownish grey, with a dark, ash-grey intritacalx. Most shells encrusted to some degree with other organisms, frequently coralline algae and bryozoans. Dimensions: Largest NMSA specimen (E4265), length 16.0 mm, diameter 11.6 mm. Operculum: Initially tightly multispiral, but whorls broadening with growth and becoming more openly multispiral.
Radula: Formula oo+3+1+3+oo, with ca 60 transverse rows of teeth; lateral flanges of rachidian well developed creating a distinct hood, cusp with a strong transverse basal ridge, the apex broadly trigonal with stout denticles, a larger, lanceolate median one and 2 or 3 smaller ones on each side. Laterals overlapping extensively, their cusps trigonal and noticeably asymmetrical; central denticle largest, lateral denticles well developed on outer margin, progressively decreasing in size toward tooth shaft; inner margin with fewer denticles. Marginals numerous and slender, cusps of inner ones recurved and coarsely pectinate, outer ones spathulate distally with a feathered edge.

The main characteristics of this species are:
♦ height up to about 16.0 mm, width up to about 11.5 mm;
♦ protoconch nearly flat, at the same level as the first teleoconch whorl;
♦ teleoconch up to 7.5 almost straight whorls;
♦ first whorl with axial threads only; PI, P2, P3 appearing at end of whorl, granular; P4 covered by suture; S1 appearing about half a whorl later, quickly as strong as other cords; TI at third whorl, between P1 and S1;
♦ penultimate whorl with 5 spiral cords with axial threads between them; P1 with sharp pointed, triangular, adapically oriented beads, possibly a bit scaly; P3 as strong as P1, with slightly axially elongated beads; occasionally, T2 may appear between P1 and TI;
♦ P4 peripheral on last whorl, thin, at the beginning of the base;
♦ angular periphery without keel;
♦ moderately convex base with 5-6 (sometimes up to 8) spiral cords, axial threads between them;
♦ one moderately prominent columellar tooth at second abapical third;
♦ outer lip thin, thicker internally, with up to 16 spiral lirae running inside, abapical ones possibly terminating near columella and producing small denticles below columella tooth;
♦ no umbilicus;
♦ greyish white to pale buff.

The broad, opisthocline ribs of this species set it apart from all others of the genus, even those of similar size, e.g. P. chinensis (Sowerby, 1888) from Hong Kong, P maculata (Brazier, 1877) from northern Australia and P. elisa (Gould, 1849) from Singapore. Amongst local species, P konos is very much smaller and P. stellata has a carinate and strongly stellate periphery.

Distribution and habitat: Indo-West Pacific; from SE Asia and northern Australia, to the Andaman Islands, Maldive archipelago (Smith 1903), Mascarene Islands and the continental margin of the western Indian Ocean, from Muscat (Melvill 1928) south to northern South Africa. Off Zululand, this species was dredged, in relative abundance, amongst old coral rubble and pebbles encrusted with Lithothamnion growths lying on a substratum of coarse bioclastic sand, at depths of -50-80 m (living specimens -50-65 m). Cantharidus pliciferus was also found on a substratum described as a 'Lithothamnion bottom' (Schepman 1908). In fully tropical areas the bathymetric range evidently extends into shallower water (to -10 m). Deep-water material from Reunion (-170-225 m) comprised only long-dead specimens that probably originated in shallower habitats on the island's steeply shelving coast.

Distribution. New Caledonia, 2-393 m, lv at 45-50 m; Loyalty Islands, lv at 150-200 m; Fiji, 32-83 m (dd); Wallis Island, 52-55 m (dd); Vanuatu, 140 182 m (dd); Indonesia, 13-205 (dd - using also data of Schepman, 1908); Philippines, 90-98 m (dd - using also data of Poppe et al., 2006