Shell up to 7.0 mm in length, elongate-ovate to ovate, teleoconch of 2½-3% convex whorls, pro- toconch of 3-4 glassy, finely carinate, golden embryonic whorls; sutures occasionally narrowly tabulate; sculptured with fine, slender axial riblets, ribs occasionally obsolete on dorsal side of body whorl; spiral sculpture consists of numerous spiral threads, threads most pronounced in interspaces and becoming more cord-like towards base, sutural denticles small but distinct, siphonal fasciole with close-set oblique cords. Aperture small, outer lip variced and with denticles within, columellar callus roundly spreading onto body whorl, sometimes circular, anterior half of columella with a few den- ticles, siphonal notch distinct. Usually uniformly white to cream in colour, one specimen seen with a narrow pale orange band on body whorl. TYPE LOCALITY, Gulf of Oman, 13-285 m (himeroessa); near Dar-es-Salaam, East Africa, 6°34.8'S & 39°35.5'E, 404 m (innocens). DISTRIBUTION. From the Persian Gulf to East Africa, India, Philippines and the Kermadec Is. In sand and gravel, subtidal to a depth of 830 m. Type specimens. Two syntypes of N.himeroessa (Melvill & Standen) are in the British Museum (N.H.), London, No.1903.12.15.69-70., and the specimen measuring length 4.4 mm, width 2.8 mm, is here selected as the lectotype (Pl.17,fig.2). Syntypes of Nassa innocens Thiele, are in the Zoological Museum, Humboldt University, Berlin, and the specimen measuring length 6.3 mm, width 3.3 mm, is here designated as the lectotype (Pl.17, fig.3). Material examined. PERSIAN GULF: 14.4 km W. from Kuh-i-Milarak, 29 m (ZMC); GULF OF OMAN: Pasni, 73 m (ZMC); EAST AFRICA: off Kenya, 4°09'S & 40°19'E, 300 m (ZMC); W. of Glorieuses Is, 11°29'S & 47°17'E, 440 m; E. Bandele reef, Mayotte I, 12°54'S & 45° 16'E, 520-830 m; S. W. Grande Glorieuses Is, 11°32'S & 47°16'E, 480-550 m (all MNHNP); INDIA: Karachi (SDMNH); MALAYSIA: near Singapore, 100 m (NSMT); PHILIPPINES: off Simaluc 1, Tawi Tawi I, 604 m (USNM); AUSTRALIA: S.E. of Clarence river, New South Wales, 29°41'S & 153°45'E, 405 m (AMS); KERMADEC IS: E. of Chanter 1, Raoul 1, 29°15'S & 177°50'W, 366-402 m and 29°16'S & 177°49'W, 512-549 m (both NMNZ). On the label accompanying the syntype of N.himeroessa is written"=agapeta Watson".