Shell solid and highly glossy. 4-5 slightly convex whorls, suture filled with secondary spire callus. Simple, rounded and glossy protoconch of about 1.5 whorls. Shell with a relatively strongly pronounced shoulder. A low, slightly elevated ridge just below the suture is present in most specimens. Columella strongly concave, parietal callus separated from the body wall, forming a deep, elongated, false umbilicus, which is about as wide as in E. glabrata but definitely narrower than in E. lienardi. Labral denticle present but not very well developed. Anterior fasciolar groove deep and curved, fasciolar band smooth. Posterior fasciolar groove relatively shallow. Ancillid band well developed, comparatively flat and relatively wide. The ancillid groove forms a clearly visible impression down the centre of the ancillid band. Operculum chitinous, completely closing aperture. Colour white or lemon, aperture white or lemon. Large specimens reach a length of about 55 mm. Distribution - E. balteata seems to be endemic to Aruba, Dutch Antilles, where it is very common. Discussion - White specimens were described as Ancil-laria nivea Swainson, 1825, but do not represent anything more than a normal colour variation. Both this species and E. glabrata are inhabitants of shallower water than E. lienardi. E. balteata differs from E. glabrata by its less brightly coloured, slightly less elongated and smaller shell, its wider ancillid band and its more developed shoulder ridge. It differs from E. lienardi by its much less brightly coloured and more elongated shell, its much wider ancillid band and much narrower false umbilicus.