The shell is imperforate in the adult, generally perforate when immature.

Its color is cinereous greenish or whitish, spirally traversed by bands composed of alternating white and black purplish or red squarish spots.

The intervals between the bands are longitudinally closely lineolate with blackish.

The spiral impressed grooves or lines are like those of Phorcus turbinatus in the young, but become generally obsolete in adult specimens.

The aperture has the same shape as in Phorcus turbinatus, but is smaller and less oblique.