Shell up to 18.0 mm in length, solid globose, teleoconch of 4½-6% convex whorls, protoconch of 2-2 glassy, embryonic whorls with last whorl carinate; variable in sculpture, spire whorls with axial riblets and bisecting spiral threads which form 4-7 rows of granules on penultimate whorl, body whorl either prominently sculptured with 14-21 rows of small granules, however, in some Melanesian populations some specimens are either only axially ribbed or spirally striate or may lack sculpture altogether on the back of the body whorl; the dorsal hump is either prominent or absent. Aperture small, outer lip with 8-10 lirate denticles, callus-shield large, shining and orbicular, obliquely slanted or moderately straight, base of columella with 2-6 denticles, anal and siphonal canals prominent. Variable in colour, but usually white, banded with brown especially on the dorsal side of the body whorl where the brown colour is darker and forms a laterally elongated blotch, some specimens all brown with only a minimum of white showing, rare examples uniformly creamy-white, callus-shield. white to pale yellow. Operculum yellowish-brown, margins either simple or serrate.

TYPE LOCALITY. Carteret Harbour, New Ireland, Papua New Guinea (globosus and clathratum); New Caledonia (gibbosuloidea). DISTRIBUTION. From the Red Sea to Japan and the Samoa Is. In clean, muddy and weedy sand, among algae and on sand-flats, intertidal, frequently occuring in colonies. Type specimens. Thirteen syntypes of N.globosus (Quoy & Gaimard) are in the Museum National d'Historie Naturelle, Paris, and the syntype measuring length 12.9 mm, width 9.5 mm, is here selected as the lectotype (pl.6, fig.7). The holotype of Plicarcularia gibbosuloidea Habe & Kosuge, is in the National Science Museum, Tokyo, No. 38621, length 12.0 mm, width 9.7 mm. Material examined. SRI LANKA: (USNM); ANDAMAN IS: (SDMNH; ZSI); NICOBAR IS: (ZSI); Nancowry (ZMC); THAILAND: E.side of Ko Phuket; Koh Sundarar Nua (both ZMC); Nai Yang and Ao Nam Bor, both Phuket; Rawai (all PMBC); Goh Phi Phi (USNM); MALAYSIA: Singapore (coll.Powell); S. of Pulau Langkawi, Kedah (coll.McCausland); INDONESIA: Amboina Bay, S. of Ceram I; Sumatra; Batavia, Java (all ZMC); Harrison hotel, Jakarta; Pasir Putih, near Pamjamg, Lampung province, Sumatra; Carita Beach, N.of Labuan, W.Java; Sanur Beach, Bali, Pantai Pura, N.of Kupang, W. Timor; between Palu and Donggala, Sulawesi; N.E. Enggano I, S. of S.E.Sumatra (all coll. McCausland); Labuan, Borneo; Marudu Bay, N.Borneo; Pulau Siburu, S.W.Sumatra (all USNM); Bali (AMS); Kotakinabalu, Tg Aru, Sabah (coll.Munro); PHILIPPINES: Cebu; Puerto Galera, Mindanao (both ZMC); near Cebu city, Cebu; Manila Bay; Tilig, Lubang; Alimango, Burias 1; Rio Jor- dan, Guimaras; Romblon; Manila Harbour, Luzon; Bolalao, Palawan group; Mindanao (all USNM); Ilo Ilo, Panay; Awasan Bech, Quezon province, Luzon I (both A,S); Punta Engano, Mactan I, Cebu (coll.Deynzer); CHINA: Hongkong (ZMC); JAPAN: Hoilo (LACM); CAROLINE IS: N.Babelthuap, Palau Is (coll.Powell); Arakabesan I, near Koror I, Palau Is (coll.McCausland); WEST IRIAN: N.E.Ambai I, Japen I, Schouten Is (coll. Powell); near Hollandia (USNM); PAPUA NEW GUINEA: New Ireland (USNM); Rabaul, New Britain; Duke of York 1, New Britain (both AMS); Kimbe, W.New Britain (coll. Parkinson); Madang (coll. Hoeter); AUSTRALIA: Moreton Bay, Qld. (coll. Powell); SOLOMON IS: Guadalcanal (AIM); Sandfly Passage, Marau Sound, Guadalcanal; Banika I, Russell group (both Auckland Univ.); Tulagi I, Florida group (coll. Hallinan); Treasury I (coll.Gardner); Wagina 1, Choiseul I; Ata I (both AMS); NEW HEBRIDES: Port Havannah, N.Efate I; Tuki Tuki Pt., Efate I; Malapoa Pt., Vila Harbour (all coll. Eker); Surunda, Espiritu Santo (coll.Coles); Ile Vate (AMS); LOYALTY IS: Lifu I (AIM); NEW CALEDONIA: Bourail (coll. Tourres); FIJI IS: Teruki, Kadavu I (coll. Powell); Naviti I, Yasawa group; Manava I, N. off Viti Levu (both coll. Eker); Vanua Balavu (coll. Richardson); TONGA IS: (coll. Powell); SAMOA IS: Apia, Upolu (ZMC); Apia Harbour, 2-4 m (AIM); Malua (coll. Powell); Fagaitua Bay, Tutuila I (LACM); Pago Pago (AMS); Vaiale, Apia (coll.Scott). In some Melanesian localities certain individuals have an obsolete sculpture on the dorsal side of the body whorl, and this smooth form has received the name gibbosuloidea Habe & Kosuge. This smoother form is sympatric with the typical form in Solomon Is, New Hebrides, Fiji and Samoa Is, and there is a gradual intergradation from the typical reticulated form to the smooth form in these populations. Kaicher's (1982) contention that the aperture is more noticeably oblique in gibbosuloidea is misleading. Both types of N.globosus and N. gibbosuloidea have about the same obliquely oriented aperture, a feature which is subject to variation. Kay (1979) does not report the species from the Hawaiian Islands and the previous Hawaiian Is record was based on specimens from the A.W.B.Powell collection, labelled "Oahu, Hawaiian Is". The species does not appear to live eastward of the Samoa Is, and Dautzenberg & Bouge's (1933) record of "Society Is" also requires confirmation.