Diagnosis: Shell spotted, dark red on yellowish to reddish pink ground colour, apex yellow; high turbiniform, very nearly evenly conical throughout; whorls rounded, shouldered; sculpture of V-shaped spiral cords and intermediary lirae; shoulder crenulated by weak subsutural pliculae. Umbilicus deep, but relatively narrow.
Description: Shell high, turbiniform to trochiform, spire prominent (L/D = 0,98-1,07), very nearly evenly conical throughout (ie apical angle and mean spire angle similar); whorls rounded with a tabulate shoulder; teleoconch of up to 6 whorls. Spiral sculpture of cords and fine intermediary lirae; cords V-shaped in profile (often slightly asymmetrical); 3-5 weak cords on first whorl, others with 4-5 stronger cords, sometimes a sixth very near the abapical suture; weaker intermediary cords and lirae develop during fourth whorl and onward; shoulder begins in course of third whorl, uppermost cord forms shoulder angle; body whorl with 4 strong cords (first order) above and including periphery, each with 1-2 weaker (second and third order) intermediaries; spiral lirae present in intervals and often on sides of cords, numbers vary with specimen, some with very few; shoulder with 1-2 weak cords and frequent lirae; base with 10-14 more rounded cords of varying strength, some with intermediary lirae; cord bordering umbilicus stronger and separated from preceding ones by a wider interval. Axial sculpture of fine prosocline growth-lines (more obvious in some specimens than others) and weak subsutural pliculae, latter causing crenulation of shoulder and weak granulation of upper spiral cord; pliculae strongest from third whorl onward. Umbilicus deep but relatively narrow; contains 5-10 spiral cords of varying strength, with or without intermediary lirae; growth-lines continue into umbilicus causing weak pliculation of cords. Aperture circular, peristome, complete or nearly so; outer lip bearing crenulations corresponding to spiral cords; interior nacreous, cords visible through nacre as grooves.
Protoconch : Typically solerielline, 350-400 µm in diameter. Colour: Protoconch white; apical whorls of teleoconch yellowish-white to light yellow; adult shell with yellowish-white to pale yellow ground colour, extensively mottled or washed with moderate to dark pink; cords with numerous deep to very deep red spots, frequently arranged in axial rows; umbilicus pale, without spots. Dimensions: Lectotype, length 7,6 mm, diameter 7,5 mm; largest specimen, length 9,8 mm, diameter 9,8 mm.
Radula: Typical of genus; cusps of inner laterals relatively elongate and pointed, outer margins finely toothed; fourth lateral long and slender; latero-marginal plate elongate; marginals ca 6. The rachidian of specimen shown is asymmetrical and lacks denticles on right. This is atypical and probably represents a 'programming error’ (Hickman 1980).
External anatomy: As in S. pardalis

This species most closely resembles S. pardalis, but is distinguished by its more evenly conical profile, V-shaped cords of variable size and small, red rather than brown, spots which contrast much less with the background than do those of 5. pardalis. There is little similarity with the umboniine 'Minolia articulata (Gould, 1861) which also occurs off Durban and with which Barnard drew comparison.

South-Africa. Zululand and Natal south to Amanzimtoti, 115-305 m (living specimens 150-305 m, sandy substrata).