Shell small, to c. 9 mm, slender, smooth, shiny, whorls slightly convex. Protoconch unknown, fragments of 1,5 glassy-white, embryonic whorls. Early whorls of teleoconch with 3-5 beaded cords; beads on each cord align with subsequent cords forming longitudinal ribs. Suture well defined, with a wide gap between the first and second subsutural cords, occasionally ornamented with an intermediate spiral thread between the 2nd and 3rd spiral cords. Body-whorl with 18-20 beaded spiral cords; beads on each cord aligned to form 25-29 gently curved longitudinal ribs. Base with 6-8 widely spaced, beaded, spiral cords. Aperture narrow; outer lip crenulate with 13-15 denticles on the inside. Interior of aperture without lirations. Columella with 5-6 folds. Siphonal canal narrow and open; siphonal notch indented and siphon straight or slightly recurved. Colour overall light pinkish-lavender, with a double row of faint, white beads at the periphery of the whorls.

Thala manolae is similar to Thala mirifica (Reeve, 1845). The protoconch of T. mirifica consists of 3 glassy-pink whorls; each whorl similar in size, forming a straight-sided cylinder-shaped protoconch. The protoconch of T. manolae is unknown; fragments of it are glassy-white. Thala manolae differs from it by being wider, with a length versus width ratio of 0.36-0.37, whereas in T mirifica the ratio is 0.28-0.29 for fully grown shells. Colour pattern of T. mirifica with two or three bands of interrupted, white, nodulose, spiral cords on the body-whorl. Thala manolae in contrast has an indistinct, double, white band at the periphery of the body-whorl, consisting of two spiral rows of white nodules.

Known only from the Maldives. Indian Ocean. In sand, found dead at 25-35 m depth.