The spiral striae, when visible, are very indistinct but contain radiating, coarse, oblique folds.

The left margin is regularly arcuate, the right one straightened, a little concave along the middle part of the outer lip.

The shell is solid but rather thin, dark reddish-brown, variegated with blotches of snowy white, especially in the young.

The surface contains a few impressed spiral striae, often scarcely visible, and low, very irregular undulations or radiating folds.

"The more prominent characters are the peculiar form, narrowed at the anterior end, the reddish or chocolate surface, smooth except for radiating folds, and the coppery red stain within the cavity of the spire.

The apex is nearer to the margin than in Haliotis midae, another Cape species, with which this one agrees in lacking spiral striation.