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Epitoniidae Berry, 1910 (1812)

Janthina pallida

W. Thompson, 1840

Description:

Dimensions range from 15 mm - 25 mm high and 14.5 mm - 22.1 mm wide.
Width to height ratio: 0.97:1 ~ 0.88:1

Shell: ; Spire low; small to moderately small. Exterior colour uniform very pale violet, palest of all Janthina species. About 6 whorls, inflated with rounded periphery, strongly and evenly convex, rounded, spirally engraved with striae, striae fine and wavy. Spire moderately tall. Suture deeply impressed. Columella arched, joins the outer lip in a tight curve and forming an anterior spout. Aperture rounded, circular-ovate, lip with central sinus which spans entire height of outer lip, most shallowly V-shaped of all living Janthina species [Beau, 2017]; outer lip widely flared outer lip.

Wilson (1993) notes that the central position of the lip sinus and anterior spout distinguish this species from J. janthina.


Distribution:

World wide in warm seas; Recorded from Mediterranean, Ireland[Thompson, 1840]; South Africa;St Paul and Amsterdam Islands; Australia, Victoria, clockwise to Torres Strait [Beau, 2017:195]; Indonesia, Banda Sea [Adams & Reeve, 1858]; Bermuda to Brazil and entire Gulf of Mexico [Rosenberg et al., 2009:643]; common in Rio Grande du Sol in summer [Rios, 1985: 160]


Habitat:

Open sea, found on beaches after storms


Etymology:

[latin] from pallidus = pale or faint


Type Material:

Type: no type material in NHMUK, location of any type material not known
Neotype: NHMUK1951.3.14.4, is here designated the neotype of Janthina pallida Thompson, 1840 for Janthina pallida W. Thompson, 1840 - Type Locality: Milton Malbay, County Clare, Ireland. [Beu, A. G., 2017]


SpeciesImage

Thompson, W. (1840). Plate II. Fig. 2.

Distribution

as listed in source literature

Thompson, W. (1840).
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Plate II. Fig. 2.
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pp: 96-97.
Adams, A. & Reeve, L. A. (1850a).
Shown in text as Ianthina striolata A. Adams & Reeve, 1850
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Plate XI. Fig. 9.
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pp: 54.
Shell subglobose-ovate, with a short spire, sutures slightly impressed, whorls rounded, spirally engraved with striae, striae fine and wavy, aperture circular-ovate; pale violet in colour
Reeve, L. A. (1858).
Shown in text as Ianthina striolata A. Adams & Reeve, 1850
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Plate V. Fig. 24a.
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Plate V. Fig. 24b.
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testá globosá, solidiusculá, spirá obtusè conicá, plus minus immersá, anfractibus converis, tumidiusculis, spiraliter peculiariter lineari-sulcatis, sulcis undulatis, valdè irregularibus; violas-cente-albá, medio subopacá, nitente; columella sublate reflexá, appressá; aperturá mediocri, haud sinuatá.
Reeve, L. A. (1858).
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Plate IV. Fig. 20b.
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Plate IV. Fig. 20a.
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Shell globose, with a small spire; whorls flatly immersed at the sutures, then rounded, with decussate striations throughout; bluish, purplish-violet at the base; columella slightly reflexed; aperture broad and open.
Tryon, G.W. (1887).
Shown in text as Ianthina globosa var. pallida Harvey.
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Plate 10. Fig. 15.
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Plate 10. Fig. 16.
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pp: 37.
Beu, A. G. (2017).
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pp: 123. Plate 2. Fig. K-L.
Janthina pallida Thompson, GNS WM15256, beach, Windy Harbour, Cape D'Entrecasteaux, southern Western Australia.

Synonymy:

Ianthina globosa var. pallida Harvey. [in Tryon, G.W., 1887].
Ianthina striolata A. Adams & Reeve, 1850 [in Adams, A. & Reeve, L. A., 1850a].
Ianthina striolata A. Adams & Reeve, 1850 [in Reeve, L. A., 1858].


Source Literature:

Adams, A. & Reeve, L. A. (1850a). Mollusca. In The Zoology of the voyage of H.M.S. Samarang, under the command of Captain Sir Edward Belcher, C.B., F.R.A.S., F.G.S., during the years 1843-1846. Reeve and Benham.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/part/168281 [Accessed 12 July 2025]
Alf, A., Brenzinger, B., Haszprunar, G., Schrödl, M. & Schwabe, E. (2020). A Guide to Marine Molluscs of Europe. Conch Books. Conch Books
Beu, A. G. (2017). Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia. Records of the Australian Museum. 69(3). The Australian Museum. 10.3853/j.2201-4349.69.2017.1666 [Accessed 6 December 2023]
Reeve, L. A. (1858). Monograph of the genus Ianthina. In: Conchologia Iconica, or, illustrations of the shells of molluscous animals. 11. L. Reeve & Co., London.. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/8183142 [details] [Accessed 12 July 2025]
Rios, E.C. (1985). Seashells of Brazil. Fundação Universidade do Rio Grande.
Rosenberg, G., Moretzsohn, F. & García, E. (2009). Gastropoda (Mollusca) of the Gulf of Mexico. Gulf of Mexico: Its Origins, Waters, and Biota.Vol 1: Biodiversity. D. L. Felder & D. K. Camp, eds,. Texas A & M University Press
Thompson, W. (1840). Contributions towards a knowledge of the Mollusca Nudibranchia and Mollusca Tunicata of Ireland, with descriptions of some apparently new species of Invertebrata. Annals of Natural History. 5. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/22191066 [Accessed 12 July 2025]
Tryon, G.W. (1887). Manual of conchology, structural and systematic with illustrations of the species. IX. Academy of Natural Sciences. https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/11026889 [Accessed 20 September 2025]
Wilson, B.R. (1993). Australian Marine Shells. Australian Marine Shells. 1. Odessey Publications
WoRMS Editorial Board (2025). World Register of Marine Species. https://www.marinespecies.org [Accessed 8 November 2025]

WoRMS direct page link: Open WoRMS record