The shell is moderately large (maximum length 110 mm) and the spire is moderately high, com-prising eight or nine strongly convex postnuelear whorls and a protoconch of undetermined nature. The suture is strongly impressed. The body whorl is moderately large and broadly fusoid. The aperture is large and subcircular, with a broad, shallow anal sulcus. The outer apertural lip bears a few strong denticles and a large, very prominent labial tooth, anteriorly on the body. The columellar lip is detached and prominently erect. The siphonal canal is relatively short, tapering from its moderately broad posterior portion to its more slender anterior end.
The body whorl bears three foliaceous varices. Additional axial sculpture, if any, consists of one weak Intervarical ridge. Spiral sculpture consists of weak major and minor cords and numerous finely nodulose threads covering the entire shell. Where the major cords intersect the varices, very long, strongly recurved, narrowly open, foliated spines are developed. On the body whorl there are three spines intercalated with smaller spinelets. Below this the point of origin of the large labial tooth is followed by two additional varical spines of intermediate length. The upper three spines may be so strongly recurved that they touch the body.
Shell color varies from pure white to dark brown. The aperture is light to dark pink mar-ginally, white more deeply within.

Specimens from the Torres Straits population (Thursday Island) are smaller (maximum length 75 mm) and more delicately formed, and are found in 20-40 m. The larger, northwestern Australian specimens (Broome) are collected in shallow water under overhanging rock ledges.

Torres Straits (off northeastern Australia) to northwestern Australia.