This is a wide mitrid (W/L = 0.39 & 0.40) with an almost straight sided spire with 7 or 8 slightly convex teleoconch whorls. The dorsal notch is moderate. Sculpture includes 4 convex, spiral cords that are crossed by convex, closely spaced axial ribs of lesser diameter producing axially elongate beads. The subsutural beads project slightly past the suture making the suture prominent. Spiral cords and axial ribs continue on the body whorl to the fasciole. The outer lip is slightly less convex centrally and the transition into the anterior canal is broadly curved. The aperture is narrow at the posterior, gradually widening to the anterior. The columella is straight and bears 4 significant, quite low spiral folds. The columellar callus is narrow, slightly wider on the anterior than on the parietal wall. The shell exterior color is white with spiral bands of brown to brown-red blotches and spots. The aperture interior is similarly colored while the columella callus is mostly brown or brown-red.

Shell small, to approximately 15 mm. Fusiform, solid, spire acuminate, spire shorter than aperture, protoconch of four and a half, mammilate, smooth, reddish-brown, glassy whorls. Teleoconch consists of 6 or 7 nearly straight-sided whorls. First spire whorl encircled with 3, rounded rows of pustulate cords, first sub-sutural cord smallest. Spire whorls with 3 or 4 rows of spiral cords, subsutural cord always smallest. Overall sculpture consists of spiral cords outlined by deep spiral grooves, cords being bisected by deep longitudinal grooves, giving the shell a nodulose or beaded appearance. Sutures undulate as the nodulose cord overlaps the suture. Body whorl sculptured with 13 to 15 pustulate, spiral cords. Spiral cords strongly pustulate near suture, becoming flatter and squarish towards base. Aperture narrow, smooth within, outer lip finely crenulate, becoming pustulate in adult shells. Columella with 5, white, rounded, oblique folds (teeth). Shell white, early whorls reddish-brown with scattered white spots, penultimate whorl white with a few reddish-brown streaks and spots. Body whorl white with three indistinct reddish-brown zones or bands. First band consists of a few reddish-brown spots below suture, center of body whorl with a wide, reddish-brown band, upper portion of band with a single cord with alternating white and brown spots, base of shell reddish-brown, with or without additional white and brown alternating cord.

The sculpture, shape and outline of the body whorl are typical of a Scabricola species. It is similar to Scabricola coriacea (Reeve, 1845) , being much smaller, more acuminate, more rounded in outline, with two white bands on the body whorl. Because of the small adult size of this species it could easily be confused with immature Neocancilla clathrus clathrus (Gmelin, 1791) and Neocancilla maculosa (Gmelin, 1791). The narrow aperture, more elongate, less bulbous outline of an adult Scab, splendidula, is compared to an wide-aperture, immature, specimen of Neo. clathrus clathrus . Color of the new species is light to dark brown with a white band on the body whorl below the suture. Immature Neo. clathrus clathrus are white, the lower body whorl is pink to red with brown spots at the periphery of the shell. Specimens of Scabricola splendidula from the Solomon Islands are lighter in color, somewhat larger than Philippine specimens and from much shallower depths.

Type locality. Balicasag Island, Panglao, Bohoi, Philippine Islands, in sand, 160 meters. Habitat. In sand, 20 to 183 meters. Range. Philippine Islands and the Solomon Islands, 20-183 m.