Shell: White lines and dots show through brown reticulations. Margin flaring with inky blotches with white. Dark blotches on base, strong brown teeth. Cream colored curved dorsal line and dots of cream against brownish lines. The lower sides appear callused with grey-purplish splotches which appear larger at the ends. Base shows a dark patch near the columellar teeth, of which there are about 24. On the outer lip are 24 to 34 teeth, broad, long, dark, and red-brown.
Animal: Mantle is thin, smooth, and dark brown to black, obscuring the dorsal pattern. Closely spaced fleshy, pointed, slender, conical papillae.
Region: Hawaii, Indo-Pacific.
Habitat: Hard reefs, under coral slabs in one to five feet of ater. Also smaller specimins have been collected from 25 to 45 feet.
Notes: High- backed member of the arabica complex. Once this shell had the invalid name Cyprea reticulata Mart. (non-binomial). Egg capsules are football shaped and a deep orchid color. They are laid in clusters 2 to 2.5" in diameter.
