Bubble raft shell

Janthina janthina

Molluscs
IUCN: Not evaluated

Usual depth0–3,848 m
Water temperature11–29 °C
Best monthsJanuary, February, and April
How commonOccasional

Photo credit: (c) Saryu Mae 前朝琉, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Saryu Mae 前朝琉 · CC BY · iNaturalist

About this species

Janthina janthina is a species of holoplanktonic sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Epitoniidae. Its common names include violet sea-snail, common violet snail, large violet snail and purple storm snail.

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

Where and when

Where it has been recorded

Worldwide

Loading the map

Best months

Worldwide (open data)

January: 278 records
February: 284 records
March: 254 records
April: 266 records
May: 103 records
June: 100 records
July: 116 records
August: 153 records
September: 186 records
October: 266 records
November: 256 records
December: 231 records

Depth and water temperature

Depth

Mostly recorded at 0–3,848 m · Deepest record: 4,764 m

0–10 m: 11 records
10–20 m: 0 records
20–30 m: 0 records
30–40 m: 0 records
40–50 m: 0 records
50–60 m: 3 records
60–70 m: 0 records
70–80 m: 0 records
80–90 m: 0 records
90–100 m: 1 records
100–110 m: 0 records
110+ m: 20 records

Water temperature

Recorded in surface water of 11–29 °C

10–12 °C: 6 records
12–14 °C: 3 records
14–16 °C: 22 records
16–18 °C: 6 records
18–20 °C: 8 records
20–22 °C: 27 records
22–24 °C: 16 records
24–26 °C: 6 records
26–28 °C: 47 records
28–30 °C: 10 records

Photos

(c) H. Zell, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · CC BY-SA · iNaturalist
no rights reserved, uploaded by Peter de Lange · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) B. Phalan, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
no rights reserved · CC0 1.0 · iNaturalist
(c) Emily Roberts, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist
(c) pimelea, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC BY · iNaturalist

Names and classification

English: Bubble raft shell, Common janthina, Common purple sea snail, Common purple snail, Common violet sea-snail, Large violet snail, bubble raft shell, common janthina, common purple sea snail, common purple snail, common violet sea-snail, Janthina, large violet snail, purple sea snail, violet seasnail, violet snail

Names in 5 more languages

German: Flosschnecke, Floßschnecke, Veilchenschnecke
French: janthine
Japanese: アサガオガイ
Korean: 진보라고둥
Simplified Chinese: 紫螺

Other scientific names: Helix janthina, Ianthina affinis, Ianthina africana, Ianthina balteata, Ianthina bicolor, Ianthina britannica, Ianthina caeruleata, Ianthina casta, Ianthina depressa, Ianthina fibula, Ianthina grandis, Ianthina involuta, Ianthina planispirata, Ianthina roseola, Ianthina smithiae, Ianthina striulata, Ianthina trochoidea, Janthina (Achates) carpenteri, Janthina (Achates) orbignyi, Janthina auriculata, Janthina bicolor, Janthina communis, Janthina costae, Janthina fragilis, Janthina penicephala, Janthina rotundata, Janthina violacea, Janthina vulgaris

Similar species

Dwarf janthina
Janthina exigua
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).
1,428 open-data records from 1758 to 2021.
Species data updated November 3, 2026.

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