The species can often (but not always) be recognized by its double row of pale nodules around the suture, overtopped by a double row of dark nodules. The background varies from a pale yellow to a pronounced orange-fawn. Aperture white; labial margin denticulate inside; siphonal canal short; no umbilicus; protoconch elongate.

Aplus campisii (Ardovini, 2015) is now considered as a synonym of coccineus (cf. Appolloni & al., 2018). The shell is more or less reddish, ochre or yellowish in colour, with about a dozen of orthocline radial costae crossed by a pair of strong spiral beads at the periphery of each whorl. Other spiral beads are present on the last whorl below the aforesaid pair, and close-set secondary spiral riblets spread all over the surface. The intersections of radials and primary spirals are nodulose like in the other coccineus. Aperture with a thick lip, notched adapically, and adorned, like in coccineus and dorbignyi, with six denticles in addition to the little pair that flank the notch. Columella slightly folded anteriorly; operculum typical of Pisaniidae. The species is named after the captain Angelo Campisi, who dredged the debris in which were found the first specimens. – Above: a yellow shell from 150-200m deep, off Aci Trezza, Aci Castello, Catania, E. Sicilia. 16mm. Original pictures provided by A. Nappo (IT) – (CC BY-NC-SA).