Manaria loculosa n. sp. TYPE LOCALITY - Fiji, Bligh Water, 17°10'S, 177°56'E, 567-699 m [MUSORSTOM 10: CP1330].
DESCRIPTION - Shell of medium size, up to 34.9 mm, thick, solid, white. Shape broadly fusiform with elongate spire, base convex, siphonal canal moderately short. Protoconch 1.25 smooth, glossy whorls. Transition to teleoconch indis- tinct. Teleoconch of eight convex whorls, upper spire whorls only slightly angulated. Suture distinct. First teleoconch whorl with five fine spiral cords, interspaces equal in width to one cord. Third whorl with seven spiral cords, two subsutural spiral cords finer with narrower interspace. Spiral cords gradually growing coarser abapically from fourth whorl, increasing in strength except two subsutural cords remaining fine. Interspaces, except two subsutural ones, gradually becoming wider. Interspace between two subsutural spiral cords narrower. Penultimate whorl with nine spiral cords of which two subsutural cords finer; one or two interspaces on adapical portion of whorl, between fourth and fifth and/or between fifth and sixth cord, with aditional fine secondary spiral cord (holotype). Number of secondary spiral cords on adapical portion of whorl typically increasing from one or two to two or three, absent in some. Last whorl with ca. 30 spiral cords: 14 on whorl, typically of equal strength (holotype) but alternating fine and strong in some specimens (Figure 47), of which two subsutural cords finer, ca. 16 slightly finer cords on base and siphonal canal. All spire whorls with 11 or 12 sharp axial ribs, interspaces narrow on upper whorls, gradually becoming wider towards antepenultimate whorl, twice as wide in few specimens. Penultimate whorl with 12 axial ribs, interspaces slightly narrower. Last whorl with 14 axial ribs. Spiral interspaces on base wide, few specimens with fine secondary spiral cord; numerous spiral cords on siphonal canal with narrow interspaces. All spiral interspaces bearing fine growth lines. Aperture oval. Columella weakly curved, slightly impressed, smooth. Outer lip thick, edge sharp, interior smooth, few specimens with few internal lirae (paratypes KF-5177, PS-150140). 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 loculosa n. sp. is characterized by its moderately broad shape with a short siphonal canal, the sharp axial ribs with wide interspaces and the rather wide spiral interspaces ornamented with a single, fine secondary spiral cord in a few specimens. Variability in the presence of secondary spiral cords is high. The holotype has a single secondary spiral cord appearing on the antepenultimate whorl while other specimens have one or more secondary spiral cords around the last whorl. Some empty shells appear different owing to the presence of finer spiral cords with wider interspaces. The absence of periostracum and the corrosion by acidic, corrosive sediment makes the spiral cords somewhat finer. This is accentuated by the optical illusion of comparing white, fresh or live-collected specimens with greyish, dead-collected empty shells. Manaria tongaensis n. sp. differs from M. loculosa n. sp. by its wider spiral cords with narrower interspaces, but usually without secondary spiral cords and without finer subsutural spiral cords, more numerous spiral cords (six or seven below the shoulderrather than four), more numerous (ca. 17 on the penultimate whorl rather than 14) but wider axial ribs with narrower axial interspaces, slightly more convex whorls, and slightly higher spire. Manaria corporosis n. sp. differs from M. loculosa n. sp. in its rectangular spiral cords, fewer spiral cords on the siphonal canal and larger adult size. Manaria lozoueti n. sp. differs from M. loculosa n. sp. in its slightly broader shape with a shorter spire, wider spiral cords and slightly wider axial ribs Manaria jonkeri differs from M. loculosa n. sp. in its slender shape, narrow interspaces without a secondary spiral cord, and the axials angulate near the periphery (rather than near the upper suture). Manaria lirata differs from M. loculosa n. sp. in its angulated whorls with a subsutural concavity (rather than a convex subsutural area), finer spiral cords and the straight subsutural spiral cords (rather than twisted) at the transition between axial ribs and axial interspaces. ETYMOLOGY - Latin loculosus (adjective), full of compartments, in reference to the rather reticulate appearance of the sculpture.