Range: From East Africa through the Indian Ocean to northern Australia and to Fiji, Tonga, and the Marshall Islands; Indonesia through the Philippines to southern Japan. Size: Adults 100 to nearly 280 mm.
Description: Shell very solid and heavy. Spire moderately high, with relatively small shoulder nodules. Body whorl rough with spiral striae and 2 or 3 heavy shoulder nodules. Columella and aperture smooth or nearly so. Outer lip thickened with 6 digits. Anterior canal often very short and wide, nearly straight; in some Indian Ocean specimens the anterior canal can be rather long and slender. Basic color very variable, ranging from whitish cream to uniform brown with dark brown to bluish-black patches, sometimes vividly axially streaked with deep reddish brown. Columella and aperture cream to brownish, pink or pale orange, occasionally purple-brown.
Remarks: L. lambis shows a very distinct sexual dimorphism: males tend to be smaller and their three lower digits may be short and hooked; females usually have longer, upwardly curved spines and very large shoulder knobs. The species is an important source of marine food in many areas of its range.