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Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)Species Images
Washed up on the Ninety Mile Beach, Far North, NZ. 35mm
Washed up after storm, Far North, NZ. 15mm
Washes up on ocean beaches, especially after rough weather
Taxonomy: Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Classification:
Mollusca (Phylum) > Gastropoda (Class) > Caenogastropoda (Subclass) > [unassigned] Caenogastropoda (Order) > Epitonioidea (Superfamily) > Epitoniidae (Family) > Janthina (Genus) > janthina (Species)
Family:
EPITONIIDAE
Synonymised Names:
=Helix janthina Linnaeus, 1758
=Janthina violacea Röding, 1798
Details: Janthina janthina (Linnaeus, 1758)
Size/Grows to:
Height 38mm, Width 40mm
Distribution:
World wide
Geographical Range:
ACFM
Notes:
Violet Snail, Marine, 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)

Key to Geographical Ranges
NZ Map showing Geographical Ranges
The symbols K.A.C.F.M.An. are used to indicate the geographical range of the species. They have been adopted to give an approximation of the range of each species within New Zealand.
K=
Kermadec Islands
A=
Aupourian - Kaipara Harbour, north around North Cape, encompassing the Three Kings Islands and south to East Cape
C=
Cookian - Lower North Island and the northern part of the South Island
F=
Forsterian - Otago, Fiordland and Stewart Island
M=
Moriorian - Chatham Islands, Pitt Island
An=
Antipodean - Subantarctic Islands of New Zealand
Fw =
Freshwater
L =
Land
N =
North Island
S =
South Island
E =
Endemic
I =
Introduced
R =
Recent
Sf =
Subfossil
Fo =
Fossil