 The thick, narrowly umbilicate, rarely imperforate shell has a conical, thick shape.It is cinereous, densely marked with numerous narrow longitudinal brown or reddish lines, or broader stripes.The 6 whorls are flattened, with 7 or 8 thread-like spiral ridges on the upper surface of the body whorl, with often one or two finer striae between each ridge, and about a dozen fine ridge-like striae on the under side.