Nassarius stolatus is readily distinguished by 1) elongate-ovate shell up to 30 mm in height, 2) protoconch low-conical, of 2 convex, smooth and glossy whorls, 3) teleoconch whorls moderately convex, meeting at slightly canaliculate, incised sutures, 4) aperture oval, with a deep, upturned abapical sinus, 5) sculpture of 7-8 broad collabral ribs and 4-5 fine, overriding spiral cords; ribs ending abruptly on lower base, against a rather deep and wide furrow; spirals obsolete on adapical part of body whorl, but distinct over the base; a dark-brown peripheral band is noted on body whorl.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. Nassarius stolatus is a sublittoral Indo-Pacific element distributed from the Persian Gulf to Indonesia and northward to Vietnam. It occurs intertidally in sand or muddy sand (MARCHE-MARCHAD, 1955a; CERNOHORSKY, 1984).
FOSSIL RECORDS. Pliocene and Quaternary of Indonesia.

Shell up to 30.0 mm in length, elongate-ovate, moderately light in weight, teleoconch of 6-74 convex whorls,protoconch of 2-24 glassy, embryonic whorls; post-embryonic whorls sculptured with angulate axial ribs and 2-3 bisecting cords which form nodules upon ribs, last 3 whorls with strongly angulate axial ribs and 2-4 spiral cords anterior to suture, spiral sculpture usually obsolete on centre of body whorl but prominent again towards base, space between body whorl and siphonal fasciole with a broad channel. Aperture moderately wide, outer lip prominently variced and denticulate within, columellar callus moderately narrow and glazed above parietal wall, columella denticulate and descen- ding almost vertically to the siphonal canal. Whitish or yellowish-cream in colour, banded with dark chocolate-brown, or dark chocolate-brown and banded with cream, rare individuals uniformly light yellow and lacking bands, aperture pale yellow. Operculum brown, serrate at margins. TYPE LOCALITY. Tranquebar, India (stolatus); Tranquebar, Coromandel and Ceylon (ornatum). DISTRIBUTION. From the Persian Gulf to Indonesia and Vietnam. In muddy sand, intertidal. Type specimens. The type of N.stolatus (Gmelin) is no longer extant, and the type figures from Chem- nitz (1780), pl.124, figs.1167,1168, are here designated as the illustrated lectotype (pl. 12, fig.9). The type of Buccinum ornatum Kiener, has not been traced. Material examined. INDIA: Yersova near Andheri, Salsette I, Bombay (Auckland Univ.); Madras; Chilka, Orissa (both ZSI); Bandra, N.of Bombay; Tuticorin; Marmagao, Goa; Back Bay, Bombay; Vasco da Gama, Goa (all USNM); Bombay (AMS; SDMNH); SRI LANKA: (AMS; LACM; SDMNH); THAILAND: off the west coast, 7°58'25"N & 98°52'04"E, c.2 m; Koh Kong (both ZMC); Lem Sing; Khan Nu Paknan, Gulf of Thailand (both USNM); MALAYSIA: Singapore (AMNS; SDMNH); Penang I (AMS); Batu Ferringhi, Penang (coll.McCausland); CAMBODIA: Kampot (SDMNH); INDONESIA: Cheribon, Java (ZMC); Horizon hotel Beach, Ancol, Jakarta (coll.McCausland); Java (USNM); Labuan, Sabah, Borneo; Tanjong Lobang, Sarawak, Borneo (both coll. Richardson). Fossil record. PLIOCENE: Atjeh, Sumatra (K.Martin 1928); PLEISTOCENE: Grissee, Java (K.Martin 1895).