Dwarf janthina

About this species

Janthina exigua, also known as the dwarf janthina, is a species of small holoplanktonic sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Epitoniidae, the violet snails or purple storm snails.

Text from the Wikipedia article “Janthina exigua”, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the article

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

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Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 65 records
February: 60 records
March: 44 records
April: 28 records
May: 9 records
June: 15 records
July: 19 records
August: 41 records
September: 80 records
October: 89 records
November: 69 records
December: 99 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–1,214 m · Deepest record: 1,213.5 m

0–10 m: 3 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 0 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 0 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 3 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 1–27 °C

0–2 °C: 1 records
2–4 °C: 0 records
4–6 °C: 0 records
6–8 °C: 0 records
8–10 °C: 0 records
10–12 °C: 0 records
12–14 °C: 4 records
14–16 °C: 15 records
16–18 °C: 16 records
18–20 °C: 2 records
20–22 °C: 25 records
22–24 °C: 12 records
24–26 °C: 4 records
26–28 °C: 13 records

Photos

(c) Saryu Mae 前朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Saryu Mae 前朝琉 · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Arnim Littek, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Arnim Littek · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Jacqui Geux, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Saryu Mae 前朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) Saryu Mae 前朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) naturewatchwidow, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Dwarf janthina, Ridged violet sea-snail, dwarf janthina, Dwarf Janthina, Dwarf Violet Snail, ridged violet sea-snail

Names in 3 more languages

German: Zwerg-Veilchenschnecke
Japanese: シロオビヒメルリガイ
Korean: 보라고둥

Other scientific names: Ianthina bifida, Ianthina exigua, Ianthina vinsoni, Janthina capreolata, Janthina courcellei, Janthina incisa, Janthina nana, Janthina striata, Janthina vinsoni, Jantina vinsoni

Similar species

Bubble raft shell
Janthina janthina
elongate janthina
Janthina globosa
Pale janthina
Janthina pallida
Epitonium jukesianum
Lamellose Wentletrap
Gyroscala commutata
Acrilla acuminata

Sources and credits

Names and taxonomy: WoRMS (CC BY 4.0) and the GBIF Backbone (CC BY 4.0). Photos: iNaturalist observers, each under the licence shown (CC0, CC BY or CC BY-SA).

Depth, temperature, months and maps: records from OBIS and GBIF under CC0 or CC BY.
Descriptions: Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA, each linked to its article.
Conservation status as published by GBIF (IUCN Red List).
520 open-data records from 1900 to 2016.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.