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Taxonomy
Family:
EPITONIIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Caenogastropoda (Subclass)
> [unassigned] Caenogastropoda (Order)
> Epitonioidea (Superfamily)
> Epitoniidae (Family)
> Janthina (Genus)
> janthina (Species)
Synonymised Names:
=Helix janthina Linnaeus, 1758
=Janthina violacea Röding, 1798
Images: Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Washed up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Far North, NZ. 35mm. © rights reserved
Washed up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Far North, NZ. 35mm. © rights reserved
Washed up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Far North, NZ. 35mm. © rights reserved
Washed up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Far North, NZ. 35mm. © rights reserved
Washed up after storm, Far North, NZ. 15mm. © rights reserved
Washes up on beach, Far North, NZ. © rights reserved
Taxonomy
Family:
EPITONIIDAE
Full Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum)
> Gastropoda (Class)
> Caenogastropoda (Subclass)
> [unassigned] Caenogastropoda (Order)
> Epitonioidea (Superfamily)
> Epitoniidae (Family)
> Janthina (Genus)
> janthina (Species)
Synonymised Names:
=Helix janthina Linnaeus, 1758
=Janthina violacea Röding, 1798
Details: Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Size/Grows to:
Width 40mm, Height 38mm
Distribution:
Tropical and temperate seas. West Norfolk Ridge, Raoul, Three Kings, North, South, Stewart and Chatham Islands, from 0-805m
Notes:
Violet Snail, Marine, Native - Non-endemic, Pelagic, feeds mainly on colonial cnidarians (Physalia, Velella, Porpita)
Distribution Map
 
References and Publications
  • Beu, A.G. 2017 Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Epitoniidae), Records of the Australian Museum, 63(3) (p.185)
  • Powell, A.W.B. 1979 New Zealand Mollusca: Marine, Land and Freshwater Shells, Collins, Auckland (p.254)
  • Douglas, W.N. Apr/1971 Janthina violacea, Poirieria, 5(6)

*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
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