The surface is smooth and shiny, their basic color is usually orange-brown, with many brown spots and two or three clear trasversal bands.

In the living cowries mantle and foot are quite developed, with external antennae.

This species occurs in the Mediterranean Sea to southwest Africa, off Morocco, Tunisia, Libya, Italy, Lampedusa Island, Sicily, Malta, Greece, Turkey, Senegal, Gabon and Angola.

These cowries live in tropical and subtropical waters usually up to 15–50 metres (49–164 ft) of depth, hidden under rocks or coral slabs and caves.

They are omnivore-grazer, mainly feeding at night on sponges, algae and corals.