It is native to the coast of South Africa. At one time thought to be a subspecies of Cymbula miniata, molecular analysis has shown C. sanguinans warrants being treated as a full species, despite there being no obvious morphological differences between the two.

This makes difficult to decide which of the previous research studies refer to C. sanguinans, and which refer to C. miniata.

Cymbula sanguinans is a very large limpet, with a shell length that can exceed 10 cm (4 in) but most individuals are smaller than this. The shell is oval, with the highest point of the cone about one third of the distance from the anterior end.

The external surface has fine sculpturing and is cream-coloured with radial bands and streaks in brown or pinkish-brown; the interior is a similar colour, with a whitish muscle scar.