Manaria corporosis n. sp.
TYPE LOCALITY - Solomon Islands, W Vella Lavella Island
DESCRIPTION- Shell large for genus, up to 52.1 mm, thick, solid, white. Shape slender, fusiform with elongate spire, base convex, siphonal canal moderately short. Protoconch (paratype MNHN IM 2007-32877) 1.5 smooth, glossy whorls; first whorl inclined relative to coiling axis by about 30°; last half whorl with very weak angulation on abapical portion of whorl. Specimens with eroded protoconch (paratype MNHN IM 2007-32878) reveal weak suprasutural line of white calcareous shell material below angulation. Transition to teleoconch distinct, marked by sharp line formed by slightly flared larval lip. Teleoconch of nine convex whorls, upper spire whorls slightly angulated. Suture distinct. First teleoconch whorls eroded (holotype). Upper spire whorls of paratype MNHN IM 2007-32877 with seven fine spiral cords; subsutural cord finer; interspaces equal in width to one cord or slightly wider. Second whorl more angular, with four spiral cords on side increasing slightly in strength, fifth spiral cord partly concealed under suture of subsequent whorl, three spiral cords on subsutural slope remaining fine. Penultimate whorl with nine spiral cords of which two subsutural cords finer, interspaces between two subsutural spiral cords narrow. Last whorl with ca. 22 spiral cords, two subsutural ones finer, interspaces wide, with one fine secondary spiral cord in few specimens. All spire whorls with nine or ten strong, rather sharp axial ribs, interspaces rather narrow. Penultimate whorl with 15 axial ribs, interspaces narrower than on spire whorls. Last whorl with ca. 15 axial ribs. Spiral interspaces without fine growth lines. Aperture oval. Columella weakly curved, slightly impressed, smooth. Outer lip thin, edge sharp, interior smooth. Siphonal canal short,rather wide, open. Aperture and siphonal canal together slightly more than two-fifths of total shell height. Operculum corneous, pale brown, semi-ovate, abapically pointed with terminal nucleus. Periostracum thin, yellowish-brown, forming fine incremental lamellae in axial interspaces.
REMARKS - Manaria corporosis n. sp. is characterized by strong, evenly spaced sculpture of strong spiral cords and axial ribs, and slightly angulate upper spire whorls with eight spiral cords of equal strength on most specimens, with two finer spiral cords on the subsutural slope. Manaria loculosa n. sp. differs from M. corporosis n. sp. in its broader shape, wider axial interspaces on the last whorl, slightly more angulated upper spire whorls, and spiral cords with convex rather than flat surfaces and without a secondary spiral cord. Manaria hadorni n. sp. differs from M. corporosis n. sp. in its slender shape, convex whorls with convex axial ribs, slightly canaliculated suture, finer and sharper primary spiral cords, the single secondary spiral cord in two or three spiral interspaces around the periphery of the penultimate and last whorls (not present in all specimens), and the two to four fine subsutural spiral cords on the last whorl.
ETYMOLOGY-Latin corporosis (adjective), with a strongly built body, in reference to the solid, quite large shell with strong sculpture.