Triphora earlei Kay, new species. Length, 11 mm; diameter, 2 mm. Shell: elongate-conic, turreted; with three rows of granular spirals on the last whorl; cream to brown, apical spiral darker brown than the others. Spire: protoconch slender, acuminate, with three and one-half bicarinate whorls overrun by axial threads; teleoconch of 16 whorls; suture distinct, wide, slightly oblique and with a sutural thread. Sculpture: three rows of close-set granules, the apical row with pearl-like beads, the other rows with bossed granules; granules about one-eighth their diameter apart and joined by axial columns. Aperture: subquadrate, outer lip not enclosing the anterior canal which is slightly recurved; posterior canal a shallow notch. Color: live-collected shells are rich brown, the apical spiral on each whorl darker than the others; dead shells are cream to light brown except for the darker brown apical spiral.
These triphorids have been found at depths of from 10 to 100 m.
Type locality: Kepuhi Point, Oahu, from a depth of 33 m. Holotype: B. P. Bishop Museum No. 9794. Paratypes: Australian Museum; British Museum (Natural History); U. S. National Museum.
The tall spire and distinctive color pattern distinguish these shells from those of T. incolumnis Melvill, 1918, from the Persian Gulf, T. kawamurai Kosuge, 1962a, from Japan, and T. coetviensis Melvill, 1909, from Coetvy Island. This species is named for John Earle whose interest in triphorids has resulted in the discovery of several new species.