Shell up to 33 mm (about 1,25 inches) in length, elongate-ovate and solid, sutures deeply impressed and irregularly crenate. Whorls 5-7, apart from protoconch of 2-2,5 white, smooth nuclear whorls, spire whorls weakly convex, sculptured with bisecting spiral and longitudinal threads of about equal strength, longitudinal striae occasionally weaker on the body whorl. The spiral threads number from 3-7 on the penultimate and from 12-17 on the body whorl, longitudinal threads from 20-37 on the penultimate and from 28-40 on the body whorl; the interspaces of the cords are pitted at the point of intersection of the cords. At the sutures the longitudinal threads are more prominent and in the form of weak axial folds which protrude over the suture and give the shell a crenate appearance. Aperture longer than the spire, moderately narrow and smooth within; outer lip descending almost vertically, thickened and finely crenulate at the margin. Columella glazed on the parietal wall but distinctly calloused anteriorly, and with 5-6 prominent oblique folds; siphonal fasciole sometimes calloused, straight or slightly recurved, siphonal notch prominent. Dark brown or greenish-brown in colour, whorls with a moderately broad, white band at the sutures and a few small white spots on some of the cords, tip of siphonal fasciole white; aperture white, bluish-white or light brown, parietal wall brown, columellar folds and callus white or bluish-white. Periostracum thin, brown and opaque.

This uncommon species is easily recognized by its rough sculpture, dark greenish-brown colour with a snow-white tail and a broad, axially folded white sutural band.

Philippine Islands to S.E. Australia, Polynesia and the Hawaiian Islands. Garrett (1880) reported the species from the Caroline Islands, Samoa, Kings-mill and the Tuamotu Islands.
On reefs, in crevices and under coral, generally within the intertidal zone, but occasionally dredged at depth ranging from 4-25 fathoms.