Shell of medium length, 24 mm, heavy, high spire. Protoconch broken off in all three syntypes; 7-8 teleoconch whorls. Suture nearly straight, may be indistinct on upper whorls. 18 low, thin axial ribs/whorl, sinuous, extend from suture to suture with an upper and slightly larger lower peaks. Upper part of lower whorls tends to be flat or have indistinct ribs, usually matching on adjacent whorls. Ribs extend well down body whorl but are replaced by 7 distinct spiral striae at base of whorl. Penultimate rib strong, forms varix; final rib smaller, outer lip thickened and extends beyond rib. Numerous fine axial and spiral lirae present. Columella very broad, callused. Sinus deep, cut off from upper side by heavy callus. Aperture rectangular. Anterior canal short, broad, slightly indented. Colour off-white with broad light brown band across centre of body whorl. Band incomplete on upper whorls, forms blotches. Up to 5 thin, spiral brown lines on body whorl, indistinct on upper whorls. Length 23.7 mm; width 9,4 mm.

Description. Shell, thick, claviform, with orthoconoid spire of (breadth/length 0.42, aperture/total length 0.37), with relatively wide aperture and broad, truncate, indented base. Teleoconch of 6.5-7 whorls. Spire whorls concave at subsutural regions, and convex below adapical third. Suture shallow, adpressed to previous whorl. Axial sculpture of wide rounded opisthocline suture-to-suture folds (18-20 on last adult whorl), strong on peripheries and weaker in concavities of subsutural areas. Microsculpture of dense somewhat rugose spiral threads and coarser collabral ones.
Outer lip convex in side view, anal sinus U-shaped, rather deep, stromboid notch distinct. Varix rounded, situated a short distance behind lip. Siphonal canal with 6-8 close-set, wide and rounded spiral ridges. Opening of siphonal canal wide and distinctly indented.
Background colour cream with intricate tile-like pattern of brown lines on peripheries of spire whorls and entire last adult whorl. Subsutural regions of teleoconch with irregular brown blotches.
Protoconch (based in dead collected specimen from Philippines) high papilliform, of ca three smooth and glossy whorls, clear-cut protoconch-teleoconch transition. Diameter ca 710 µm, height 620 µm
Measurments. The only New Caledonian specimen has SL 20.9 mm, Philippine specimens attain 23 mm.
Radula. Not available.

This widely distributed species appears to be rare in New Caledonia

Distribution. Philippines and New Caledonia to Christmas Is. and Mauritius, shallow water to about 30 m.