Shell conic in outline, sharp apex. Whorls convex, suture deep and canaliculate. Sculpture made by spiral cords irregular and often duplicate in the interspaces, besides one thin little cord there can be noted fine growth striae. Such a sculpture is also present at the base which is convex. Umbilicus wide and grooved internally. Columella arched and, in the lower zone, it has one tooth. Aperture round, pearly internally. Ground dark brown in colour pattern mainly, with bands and stains white and red in colour present below the suture and on the periphery of the last whorl. The cords too are white dotted, apex light pink in colour. Operculum corneous, thin, multispiral. In the juvenile forms there are evident one peripherical carina and an aperture subquadrangular in form. The adult specimens average measures are around 13-15 mm in diametre.

There are quite a lot of varieties in form and in colour pattern set up by Monterosato (1880, 1888), Issel (1878), Pallary (1906, 1938), as a proof of the variability of this species. The variety subcincta (Monterosato, 1888), endemic of Gabés Gulf is recognizable from the nominal species due to a sculpture made by very elevated spiral cords and deep grooves. This sculpture is present at the base too. Also the suture is broader and canaliculate. The variety barbara Monterosato, 1884, it also endemic of Gabés Gulf, is recognizable due to its bigger sizes, to the spiral more elevated, to the whorls and to the base more convex and to the light pink colour pattern.

Distribution: common all over the Mediterranean.
Habitat: it lives on algae and in meadows of Zostera nana and Posidonia oceánica of the infralittoral zone.