« Shell oblongo-ovate, gradually tapering towards the anterior end, smooth and shining, of a light fawn-colour, with very light brown irregular markings about the back, and a few distinct dark brown dots on the edges of the base of the shell on both sides, bands indistinct; inside of shell milk-white; base somewhat lighter in colour than the back; posterior half of the columellar side rather gibbous, outer side of base somewhat depressed in the centre portion; aperture subspiral, rather wide; teeth of the lip prominent and even, extending in no degree on to the lip (only denticulating its edge), about eighteen in number, and about as many also on the columellar side, which are larger anteriorly, even, terminating externally in a line at the edge of, or rather just within the aperture, and internally, proceeding straight across the columellar groove to terminate at its inner edge the anterior half of the shell, and on the columella in points, the posterior half, there being mere small projections indicating the continuance of the inner edge of the columellar groove, which extends the whole length of the columella, diminishing in depth in the middle of the shell, and deepening at the posterior end to form a part of the channel… » – J. S. Gaskoin: “Description of new species of the genus Cypraea”, Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London vol. 16, London 1849, p.93.