As B. urania was described rather briefly, and no subsequent records of the species exist in the literature, we have redescribed it based on the new material from SE Asia. Shell bucciniform, rather thin but solid, consisting of up to 8.5 teleoconch whorls, spire occupying 21 -31% of shell height, suture weakly channeled. Sculpture becoming retic¬ulate near the teleoconch border, with riblets more or less axially directed and crossed by weaker spirals. Teleoconch whorls angulate approximately at periphery (first 3 whorls) or at lower 1/3-1/4 of whorl height. Whorl profile concave at subsutural ramp, flat below angulation. Subsutural fold rather low, tuberculate on apical whorls, with oblique folds on subsequent whorls, folds more numerous than axial ribs. Most collabral growth lines indistinct, a few rough and raised, especially on last half of body whorl. Axial ribs rather strong, narrow, slightly curved, extending from subsutural ramp to abapical suture on spire whorls, gradually fading out and extending to siphonal canal on last whorl, 19-23 ribs on penultimate whorl, 23-29 on last adult whorl. Arrangement of ribs somewhat irregular on last half of body whorl, forming relatively prominent tubercles at summit of whorl angulation. Spiral sculpture on subsutural ramp commencing on 4th-6th teleoconch whorl, last adult whorl with 7-12 rather strong, flattened cords separated by narrow interspaces, thin secondary cords in some interspaces. Cords on abapical part of subsutural ramp about as strong as those below angulation. Primary spiral cords below subsutural ramp strong, wavy, flattened, 3 or 4 on exposed part of penultimate whorl, 16-30 on last whorl, some close-set, thin, indistinct ones grouped abapically near fasciole. Primary spiral interspaces narrower than cord, each with a narrower secondary spiral and, in some specimens, a thin tertiary one. Aperture elongate-oval, outer lip evenly convex. Inner lip covered by wide, rather thin translucent callus. Siphonal canal short, twisted, obliquely truncated, with notch, and distinct but not very prominent fasciole. Anal sinus merely a weak sinuation, its deepest point situated in middle of subsutural ramp or just above it. Colour white, sometimes with indication of rust colour near columella and siphonal fasciole. Dimensions: 20.3 x 10.4 mm (paratype) to 28.1 x 12.5 mm. Diameter/height ratio in intact shells 44-53%.

The material from Indonesia and Japan agrees quite well with the paratype and illustration of the holotype. Specimens from the Philippines tend to differ from those from Indonesia their higher spire (23-31% of the shell height vs. 21-23%), higher position of whorl angulation, and stronger and more widely spaced spiral cords, one of which is stronger and connects the tubercles at whorl angulation. The spiral sculpture on the subsutural ramp also appears later in the Philippines specimens. One specimen has a preserved larval shell , consisting of ca. 2 whorls. Pro¬toconch I etched, protoconch II with opisthocyrt axial riblets, diagonally cancellated in abapical part of whorl.
Buccinaria urania is characterized by low-set angulation on last spire whorls, sculpture of numerous long, narrow, curved axial ribs, and strong flattened spiral cords separated by rather narrow interspaces occupied by secondary and tertiary cords. It is most similar to B. miyagishimana (Noda, 1988: pi. 11, figs. 13a-13b [not 5a-5b, judging from the description]) from the Pliocene of Okinawa, but differs in having a much thinner shell, more prominent angulation set lower on whorl, wide siphonal canal, more deeply concave subsutural ramp with wider and fewer spiral cords, and weaker subsutural fold. The original description of B. miyagishimana refers to a smooth protoconch (this could refer to a pau-cispiral protoconch, or the sculpture could be worn, or it could be an error), and the axial ribs are said to have smooth surface and cross the spiral cords, not vice versa as in B. urania.
Buccinaria javanensis is tentatively synonymized with B. urania on the basis of general shape and sculpture. The holotype of B. javanensis differs from B. urania in its spiral sculpture consisting of even spiral cords, rather than alternating primary and secondary cords as in Recent specimens, but this may be a consequence of the shell being quite worn. In that respect it resembles B. pendula, but clearly differs from it in having a spirally sculptured subsutural ramp. The holotype of B. javanensis also has a very low spire, but Recent specimens exhibit considerable geographical variation for this character. This tentative synonymy should be re-evaluated when additional Pleistocene Indonesian material becomes available.

Type locality: P. urania: Off Coromandel coast, India
Distribution: Bay of Bengal, Andaman and Arafura seas, the Philippines, and off southern Japan, alive in ca. 300 m, shells in 300-815 m. Pleistocene of Java.