The length of the shell varies between 15 mm and 45 mm.
The ovate, conical shell is smooth andof a uniform ashy white color. The
spire is composed of eight
whorls. The upper ones are slightly plaited, the lowest pretty large, marked with more or less straight, longitudinal lines, approximate, and of a color a little deeper and reddish. The base of the shell is ornamented with six or seven furrows. The ovate
aperture is, white, fawn-colored within. The thick outer
lip is arcuated towards the base, elevated exteriorly into a thick, very prominent margin. Within it is striated throughout its whole length. The left lip is thick, and partially covering the
columella, which is adorned with guttules one half of its length. The first of these guttules, which is uppermost, is much more marked than the others. At the base of the columella is found a very prominent fold, terminated by a guttule formed like a flattened point.[3]
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abBarnett L. J., Miller T. L. & Cribb T. H. (2010). "Two new Stephanostomum-like cercariae (Digenea: Acanthocolpidae) from Nassarius dorsatus and N. olivaceus (Gastropoda: Nassariidae) in Central Queensland, Australia". Zootaxa2445: 35–52.
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Röding, P.F. 1798. Museum Boltenianum sive Catalogus cimeliorum e tribus regnis naturae quae olim collegerat Joa. Hamburg : Trappii 199 pp.
Gray, J.E. 1826. Mollusca. pp. 474–496 in King, P.P. (ed.). Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia. Performed between the years 1818 and 1822; with Appendix B. London : John Murray Vol. 2 viii 637 pp., 9 pls.
Kiener, L.C. 1834. Spécies général et Iconographie des coquilles vivantes, comprenant la collection du Muséum d'histoire Naturelle de Paris, la collection de Lamarck, celle du Prince Massena (appartenant maintenant a M. le Baron B. Delessert) et les découvertes récentes des voyageurs. Paris : Rousseau Vol. 9.
Reeve, L.A. 1853. Monograph of the genus Nassa. pls 1-25 in Reeve, L.A. (ed). Conchologia Iconica. London : L. Reeve Vol. 8.
Cernohorsky, W.O. 1984. Systematics of the family Nassariidae (Mollusca: Gastropoda). Bulletin of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Auckland, New Zealand 14: 1-356
Wilson, B. 1994. Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods. Kallaroo, WA : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 2 370 pp.