Shell fusiform, thick ; whorls, especially the upper, somewhat compressed, being ten in number, inclusive of the two apical. Colour bright chestnut brown, with squarrose, fairly regular, white tessellations on the spiral carinae. These revolving keels appertain throughout—one, in particular, central, and subdivided by a shallow sulcus; the lesser tornate keels increase numerically in each of the lower whorls, till, on the body-whorl, they total five or six, all beautifully variegated with white and chestnut alternately, as mentioned above. Mouth ovate-oblong, canal wide, abbreviate, sinus well expressed, wide, and deep, columellar margin fairly straight.
Long. 41,5, lat. 14 mm.
Hab.—Mauritius.
A handsome species, standing somewhat alone, and conspicuous for its bright coloration and tessellated carinal ornamentation. (Named after Mr. E. Ruthven Sykes, in whose collection is the type.)