This is a wide mitrid (W/L of illustrated specimen = 0.42) species with a lenticular shape and with the spire considerably shorter than the aperture (S/L = 0.34). Spire sides are straight to slightly convex with about 5 teleoconch whorls. The adapical body whorl has spiral pitted grooves, one of which is moderately prominent above the suture, and faint, low axial riblets. Spire whorls are slightly convex with two spiral pitted grooves. On early whorls axial riblets and spiral cords become more prominent and more convex, forming pits between cords and riblets. There are 5 significant spiral folds. There is no callus on the parietal wall but there is a callus in the area of spiral folds and a raised outer edge forming a depression between the callus and the fasciole. The outer lip is convex with a moderately sharp junction with the anterior canal. The dorsal notch is moderately prominent. The exterior shell color is yellow with a broad brown band just below the periphery. The brown band has axial light brown to grey lines that are slightly jagged. The spire whorls have increasingly more light brown-red above the sutures.

This species is fairly easily confused with Scabricola (Swainsonia) casta (Gmelin 1791), but S. bicolor is restricted to the Indian Ocean west of Chagos Islands and is much smaller then S. casta. S. casta has the color band only on the periostracum. It is more likely to be confused with Scabricola newcombi which also has the brown band on the shell (and lacks brown on the tentacle pedestal and tentacles of Scabricola Olivaeformis) .