« Shell thin, rather fragile, oval and elongate in overall aspect, very glossy white and a little transparent, with milky white bands. Sculpture of 8-12 rather regularly spaced, spiral striae, adapically, and another 11-12 abapically, the middle section being plain (we found this feature rather variable in our material) with very fine and dense growth lines. Aperture narrow and elongated, becoming wider abapically. Columella vertical, a little thickened, without a fold or twist and with an elongated, rather chink-like umbilicus behind it. Apex perforated. Outer lip plain inside, thin, a little higher than the spire, and joining the centre of the vertex. » – Cachia & Mifsud: “On the occurence of Atys macandrewii E. A. Smith, 1872 (Gastropoda : Haminoeidae) in the Mediterranean”, Iberus vol. 25(1), Barcelona 2007, p.44.

« I feel much pleasure in dedicating this species to Mr. R. M’Andrew, by whom it was dredged at the above locality and most liberally presented to the British Museum, together with a complete series of all the various species of Mollusca he there collected. It is at once recognized by the numerous lacteous bands upon a pellucid ground. » – E. A. Smith: “Remarks on several species of Bullidae…”, Annals and Magazine of Natural History ser. 4, vol. 9, London 1872, p.346.