« Shell ovate, white, with three obscure purplish interrupted bands, the central one of which is broad, and formed of waved cross lines, and the other two narrow; the back scattered with numerously distinct variously sized fulvous specks; the spire concave, nearly covered; the base convex white, with scattered minute black specks near the edge. The margin thickened, rounded, with numerous minute black specks, and a black spot on each side of the anterior extremity, and one on the spire; the mouth is rather wide; the teeth large, nearly equal; columella flat, plaited; inside purplish-white. » – J. E. Gray: “Monograph on the Cypraeidae, a family of testaceous Mollusca”, Zoological Journal vol. 1(4), London 1825, p.489.