Description of the shell: Morphometric parameters: L = 23-29 mm; average L = 26 mm; RD = 0.61 - 0.64; RSH = 0.13 -0.16; PMD = 0.80-0.85.
Shell small to moderately small, moderately solid. Last whorl ventricosely conical, slightly elongated. Profile more or less straight and with a rounded shoulder. Spire moderately high, convex, teleoconch whorls smooth. Last whorl smooth, except for about four spiral raised lines near the anterior tip. The ground color of the shell is dark brown, occasionally olive-brown, with many light bluish specks (prone to fading over time) that normally form a wide central spiral band, but can also be present almost over the entire last whorl of the teleoconch, usually more numerous between the central band and the shoulder. In some specimens the bluish specks can give way to reticulated arrow shaped patterns. The spiral ramps present light bluish axial streaks. The aperture is bluish gray inside, with a dark violet zone parallel to the lip, interrupted about half the length of the lip and again near the shoulder; the interior of the lip is white, with the outer color showing by transparency. Aperture banded at the central portion and just below the shoulder. The periostracum is yellowish to olive-green, transparent. Operculum small and elongated, typical of a Varioconus. Shells often have scars and cracks and the first whorls are typically eroded; apex perforations are also common in many specimens.

Living animal and radula: The living animal is dark grey to black, tinged with pinkish shades. Radular tooth examined for the holotype. 40 teeth in radular sac. Radular tooth slender, medium-sized (LC/DR = 51) with the anterior section shorter than the half of the total tooth length (DR/PA = 2.2-2.3). Waist evident. Blade almost indistinctive, covering most of the anterior part (100F/PA = 85 %). 34 to 36 denticles present in serration (d in S), arranged in one row in the apical portion, becoming 2 rows below, ending in a rather large, prominent cusp which is characteristic. Basal spur present.

Remarks: Sympatric V. nobrei can be easily distinguished from V medvedevi sp. nov. by its smaller size, more ovate shape (larger RD and lower PMD) and more rounded spire, as well as by its constant brownish to olive-green ground color patterned with numerous small bluish-white or white dotted lines that cover the entire last whorl and spiral ramps. The radular teeth of V nobrei is similar to that of V. medvedevi sp. nov. However it bears less denticles in the serration and has a larger relative size LC/DR. The shell of V. bocagei (Trovao, 1978), which has a characteristic angulate to subangulate shoulder instead of rounded, has a larger RD and a lower PMD, a different pattern arrangement, and the color of the animal color (uniform cream) is different to that of V. medvedevi sp. nov. The radular teeth of V bocagei and V. medvedevi sp. nov. are similar, although the terminating cusp in V. bocagei is not as well developed as in V medvedevi sp. nov. V. africanus (Kiener, 1845) differs in that the shell is not as elongated as in V medvedevi sp. nov.; spire and last whorl have dark brown blotches and streaks turning into lines or dashes. Compared to V. medvedevi sp. nov., the radular teeth of V. africanus in the radular sac are very numerous. They bear less denticles in the serration, arranged in one single row, and lack the prominent terminating cusp which is characteristic in V medvedevi sp. nov. The close-set hairlines from the spire to the base on a white or light brown ground color seen in the shells of V tenuilineatus (Rolan & Rockel, 2001) also easily separate it from V. medvedevi sp. nov.

Type locality: Baia do Bom Fim (Lucira area) in the Namibe Province, Southern Angola, West Africa.
Distribution and habitat: Specimens of the new species have been regularly sampled in the Lucira area, mainly in the localities of Baia do Bom Fim, Baia da Canhoca, Zeca Pequeno, Periquitos and Doca. It occurs between 0.5 and 7 meters depth. Smaller juvenile specimens are normally observed in slightly deeper water (5 to 7 meters depth), completely buried in sand beneath rocks, while larger adult ones are commonly seen in shallower water (0.5 to 2 meters depth), partially buried in sand under rocks or in rock holes and fissures, normally close to the wave action zone. Throughout its geographical distribution it occurs in sympatry with the endemic Pseudonoduloconus carnolis (G. B. Sowerby III, 1879), V. chytreus, V micropunctatus (Rolan & Rockel, 2000), V. naranjus (Trovao, 1975), V. nobrei (Trovao, 1975), V cf. tevesi (Trovao, 1978), V trovaoi (Rolan & Rockel, 2000), V. variegatus, V. zebroides and the non-endemic Kalloconus pulcher ([Lightfoot], 1786), Chelyconus ermineus (Born, 1778) and Genuanoconus genuanus (Linnaeus, 1758). Egg capsules have been observed in October 2011 together with the ones of V. chytreus, V. zebroides and V variegatus.