Three shells from station 242 (6°34.8’S, 39°35.5’E, 404 m depth, off Dar es Salaam) have a sculpture very similar to the previous species [Triphora regia], from which it is distinguishable by the absence of its peculiar glossiness, its slightly wider shape and mainly because of the different protoconch. The biggest shell has 20 whorls, which slowly increase in size, the first whorls are white like the rest of the shell, a bit shiny; the first whorl of the protoconch is large and rounded, the following whorls have a spiral keel, without any other sculpture; the teleoconch whorls have one spiral cord under the suture and 2 more rows of tubercles, which lie on prosocline axial ribs; on the back of the last whorl there is an additional spiral cord above and below each of the two main rows of tubercles, the lowest cord becomes smooth and forms an angle with the base, and a further cord is visible below this. The siphonal canal is quite strongly curved, the upper part of the aperture has a sinus, and the peristome protrudes significantly, the siphonal canal is not closed. Height 13 mm, diameter 2.5 mm.

Diagnosis
Lectotype height 12.7 mm. Shell very slender, conical, with slightly rounded whorls. Teleoconch of 17 whorls, which have three tubercled spiral cords well visible since the very first teleoconch whorls. A very fine suprasutural smooth cord is also present. The last whorl has a fourth smooth cord, the base has a further fine smooth cord. On the last whorl a further almost smooth spiral cord is present between the second and the third. An ample posterior siphonal canal is present. The protoconch is paucispiral and composed of three whorls: the first is smooth, while the other two have a single prominent spiral keel. Colour white.

Remarks
It can be easily distinguished from the previous T. regia because of the paucispiral protoconch.