Shell up to 40.6 mm in length (holotype), with small, conical protoconch of 3 whorls, with narrow keel abapically and weakly shouldered, broad, convex teleoconch whorls. Axial sculpture of last teleoconch whorl consisting of 3 broad, high, frondose and squamous varices, occasionally with very short, primary P1 spine and webbed, short P5-P6 spines. Other axial sculpture of 2 or 3 strong, moderately high, nodose, intervarical ribs. Spiral sculpture of narrow, strong, high primary cords, strong, narrower secondary and few tertiary cords. Spiral sculpture of subsutural ramp of last whorl with adis, IP, abis, followed by P1, s1, P2, s2, P3, s3, P4, s4, P5, s5, P6, s6, and 2 strong tertiary cords on convex part of whorl.
Aperture broadly ovate. Columellar lip with numerous weak or strong folds on its whole length, weakly erect abapically, adherent on small portion adapically. Outer lip crenulated, with elongate denticles within. Siphonal canal short or moderately long, narrow, narrowly open, weakly dorsally bent, with short, abapically bent, webbed, ADP, MP, and ABP spines, occasionally with additional median secondary cord (ms). Cream or light tan with broad or narrow, light brown spiral bands.

The name Chicomurex venustulus was used by Houart et al. (2015) only for the species from the Marquesas Islands and the taxon C. gloriosus was then reinstated as a valid and available name. After a careful comparison with material from the Philippines (C. gloriosus) and from the Marquesas (G venustulus) it appeared that both species has some consistently different shell characters. Chicomurex gloriosus is larger relative to the number of teleoconch whorls, reaching 60 mm in length as opposed to 40.6 mm for C. venustulus, it is not as stocky as C. venustulus and the siphonal canal is comparatively longer, while the intervarical nodes are generally higher, forming a stronger node on the last whorl. The coloured spiral bands, when present, also differs in being placed on different parts of the last whorl. The genetic evaluation of C. venustulus specimens has not been possible to date, due to a lack of appropriately fixed specimens.

Type locality. Off SW Coast of Tahuta, 36-39 fms (66-71 m), Marquesas Islands.
Distribution. C.Pac. The species is apparently endemic to the Marquesas Islands, living at 54-109 m.