Shell up to 36 mm (about 1,5 inches) in length, elongate-ovate or slender and elongate, solid, sutures impressed but narrowly incised. Whorls 6,5-8,5, apart from a protoconch of 2 glassy-white, smooth nuclear whorls, spire whorls flat-sided or weakly convex, sculptured with spiral rows of small granules which number from 0-12 on the penultimate and from 0-30 on the body whorl; in some granulose individuals, the body whorl sometimes develops weak, irregular and slender axial riblets; in the granulose hums, the interspaces between the granules are micro¬scopically reticulated. In smooth specimens, the first 3-4 post-nuclear whorls are granulose, the beading fades out on the antepenultimate whorl and the sculpture on the last 2 whorls consists of either weak spiral threads or weak axial riblets. Aperture longer than the spire, narrow and smooth within, outer lip thickened, interior with a variable-sized callus, margin of outer lip with elongated crenulations. Columella calloused, and with 4-6 oblique folds, base of shell constricted, siphonal fasciole straight and usually calloused, siphonal notch prominent. Uniformly yellowish-orange, orange-brown, olive-brown or dark brown in colour, occasional specimens with a pale central zone or white axial stripes on the body whorl, and in rare individuals, very faint, orange-brown lines are discernible at least on the back of the outer lip; aperture and columella cream, yellow or orange in colour. Periostracum very thin, orange-brown and translucent.

This is one of the most variable of mitrids which has received no fewer than 13 names. The species varies from being broadly-ovate to slender-elongate, the sculpture is prominently granulose or may become obsolete, and the colour varies from a yellowish-orange to dark brown or olive-brown. The most frequently encountered forms are as follows:
* Typical, granulose form: pellisserpentis Reeve (= granata Reeve = grelloisi Recluz).
* Slender, granulose form: brumalis Reeve (= serotina A. Adams = microstoma Sowerby = minor Dautzenberg & Bouge).
* Broad, granulose form; uzielliana Crosse ( = nassoides Sowerby).
* Broad, smooth form: crenilabris A. Adams ( = dealbata A. Adams; worn and faded white).

Mauritius to Polynesia.