« The neogastropod family Mitridae (miter shells or mitres) is a distinctive and familiar group of benthic gastropods, its key features being a solid, usually fusiform, colourful shell with strong columellar folds, predominant spiral sculpture and a smooth inner side of the labrum. » – Fedosov & al.: “ The collapse of Mitra: molecular systematics and morphology of the Mitridae (Gastropoda: Neogastropoda)”, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society vol.183(2), London 2018, p.1.
 

« Shell small to large (15-110mm), fusiform or elongate-fusiform, smooth, with well-developed periostracum. Protoconch large, paucispiral, cyrtoconoid, of about two smooth glossy convex whorls. Spire tall or rather low; suture impressed. Spire whorls evenly convex in outline, sculpture represented by fine, dense, collabral lines. Last adult whorl typically evenly con-vex with rather short siphonal canal bearing a distinct fasciole, separated from shell base by deep groove. Siphonal notch deep or rather shallow. Outer aperture lip evenly convex, or convex in its adapical portion and straight throughout most of its length. Inner aperture lip with four, fine, subequal columellar folds. Shell cov-ered with periostracum, light brown to dark brown or olive-green, uniform or with multiple dark freckles, or (typically) adapical ⅔ of spire whorls slightly lighter than their abapical portions. » – Fedosov & al.: op. cit. p.38. In fact, the protoconch can be paucispiral (cornicula) as well as multispiral (anglesae).
 

« Shell medium sized to large (30-100mm), fusiform to turriform, lightly sculptured, light or dark brown due to well-developed periostracum. Suture distinct, impressed. Spire high to very high; teleoconch whorls gently convex to flattened, sculptured by regular or occasional spiral grooves, or smooth, often with a microsculpture of fine collabral growth lines. Siphonal canal short with well-developed fasciole to moderately long and tapering. Siphonal notch shallow or absent. Aperture elongate, rather wide; outer aperture lip evenly convex or straight in its adapical portion and strongly convex anteriorly. Inner lip with four columellar folds, the anteriormost notably weaker. » – Fedosov & al.: op. cit. p.65.