Snail uniform in colour, red to white, with four to five strong spiral cords on the upper part of the body whorl; thinner cords below. Aperture round, smooth, devoid of teeth; occasional presence of a minute umbilical slit, which is covered by the callus in adult specimens. – 1m deep, under stones, Anse de l’Arène, Cassis, Provence, S. France. 5,9-6mm.

A difference between H. sanguineum and red specimens of local members of the genus Clanculus is given by the spiral cords of the base: nodulose in Clanculus, smooth in Homalopoma. Notice, in these two young shells, the small umbilicus of the Homalopoma and the immature doubled columellar tooth of the Clanculus. – 33m deep, in shell grit, Secche di Tor Paterno, off Torvajanica, Roma, Lazio, W. Italy.