Search
Taxonomy
Family:
EPITONIIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Caenogastropoda (Subclass)
> [unassigned] Caenogastropoda (Order)
> Epitonioidea (Superfamily)
> Epitoniidae (Family)
> Janthina (Genus)
> exigua (Species)
Synonymised Names:
=Ianthina bifida Reeve, 1858
=Ianthina vinsoni Deshayes, 1863
=Janthina capreolata Montrouzier, 1860
=Janthina courcellei Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889
=Janthina incisa Philippi, 1848
=Janthina nana Gray, 1850
=Janthina striata Montrouzier, 1860
Images: Janthina exigua (Lamarck, 1822)
Washed up after storm, Mahurangi, Auckland, NZ. 16mm. © rights reserved
Washed up after storm, Mahurangi, Auckland, NZ. 16mm. © rights reserved
Washed up after storm, Mahurangi, Auckland, NZ. 16mm. © rights reserved
Washed up after storm, Mahurangi, Auckland, NZ. Close-up showing sculpture. 16mm. © rights reserved
Tapotupotu Bay, Far North, NZ. 16mm. © rights reserved
Taxonomy
Family:
EPITONIIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Caenogastropoda (Subclass)
> [unassigned] Caenogastropoda (Order)
> Epitonioidea (Superfamily)
> Epitoniidae (Family)
> Janthina (Genus)
> exigua (Species)
Synonymised Names:
=Ianthina bifida Reeve, 1858
=Ianthina vinsoni Deshayes, 1863
=Janthina capreolata Montrouzier, 1860
=Janthina courcellei Rochebrune & Mabille, 1889
=Janthina incisa Philippi, 1848
=Janthina nana Gray, 1850
=Janthina striata Montrouzier, 1860
Details: Janthina exigua (Lamarck, 1822)
Size/Grows to:
Height 23mm, Width 21mm
Distribution:
Tropical and temperate seas. West Norfolk Ridge, Raoul, Three Kings and North Islands, northern South Island, Stewart Island and Chatham Islands, from 0-1000m
Notes:
Violet Snail, Marine, Pelagic, feeds mainly on colonial cnidarians (Physalia, Velella, Porpita). Commonly washed ashore on ocean beaches
Description:
Strong and widely spaced growth ridges

Distribution Map
 
References and Publications

*98 © Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (CC-BY-NC-ND)

NZ Geographical Regions
Key to symbols used in Checklist.
Fw =
Freshwater
L =
Land
N =
North Island
S =
South Island
R =
Recent
Sf =
Subfossil
Fo =
Fossil
Recently Viewed