DISTRIBUTION - Western Pacific, known from the Solomon Islands to New Caledonia in the south and Tonga in the east; 328-660 m, alive in 328-567 m. The species is associated with sunken wood at several stations. Syntopic with Manaria jonkeri and M. loculosa n. sp. in Fiji (BORDAU 1 stn CP1407), with M. tongaensis n. sp. in Tonga (BORDAU 2 stn CP1642), with M. corporosis n. sp. in the Solomons (SALOMON 1 stn CP1783) and with M. hadorni n. sp. in New Caledonia (BATHUS 1 stn CP698, BATHUS 4 stn CP948).

DESCRIPTION - Shell small, up to 12-16 mm, occasionally up to 19.2 mm, thick and solid, white. Shape slender, fusi- form with high spire, siphonal canal short. Protoconch of paratype MNHN IM-2000-27022 slightly less than 1.5 whorls, smooth, with numerous, microscopic, shallow punctae across surface; last whorl rather large, naticiform; last quarter whorl with some fine opisthocyrt growth lines. Transition to teleoconch marked by sharp, opisthocyrt ridge. Roughly six convex teleoconch whorls. Suture distinct. First teleoconch whorl initially with four wide, spiral cords with narrow interspaces; fifth, fine subsutural cord appearing after roughly one quarter whorl. Second whorl with fine, narrow, elevated spiral cords, subsutural cord finer; interspaces each twice as wide as one cord. Penultimate whorl with six spiral cords; interspaces each twice to three times as wide as one cord. Last whorl with ca. 15 fine, elevated spiral cords, rou- ghly eight on whorl and seven on base and siphonal canal, interspaces each three times as wide as one spiral cord; tip of siphonal canal with roughly six additional, fine spiral cords with narrow interspaces. All spire whorls with 10-11 thick, rather sharp axial ribs; interspaces each about as wide as one axial rib. Last whorl with 12 axial ribs. Spiral interspaces ornamented with fine growth lines. Aperture oval, outer lip thick, edge thin, smooth, with 11 knobs inside lip, each knob corresponding to spiral interspace, lowest knob at transition to siphonal canal. Siphonal canal wide, open, short. Columella weakly curved, smooth, glossy, with single small abapical columellar knob at transition to siphonal canal; aba- pical portion of callus along siphonal canal formed by dissolution of outer shell layer of preceeding whorl. Aperture and siphonal canal roughly two-fifths of total shell height. Periostracum thick, velvety, yellowish-brown, with numerous axial lamellae. Operculum corneus, pale yellowish-brown, oval with terminal nucleus. Radula typical of subfamily (Figure 119); central tooth tricuspid, cusps of equal size, few central cusps slightly larger. Lateral teeth bicuspid, with broad base, outer cusp larger, few specimens with additional, minute medial knob.
REMARKS-Eclectofusus fluentisonus n. sp. is characterized by its sharp spiral cords in combination with rather wide interspaces, small adult size and rather flamboyant periostracum with numerous fine axial lamellae. Manaria explicibilis n. sp. differs from M. fluent isona n. sp. in possessing fewer spiral cords of which three are more pronounced, wider spiral interspaces, angulate axials (rather than convex) and reaches larger adult size.
Manaria jonkeri differs from M. fluentisona n. sp. in its slightly broader shape, narrower spiral interspaces, angulate axials and larger adult size. Juvenile specimens of Manaria excalibur n. sp. differ from M. fluentisona n. sp. in the weakly angulated upper whorls, the secondary spiral cords, the fewer axial ribs and the more accentuated growth lines. ETYMOLOGY-Latin fluentosus (adjective), the rustle of the waves, in reference to the shell's undulating surface (waves) covered with a row of small periostracal brushes (like sound rising up).