A small marine snail which drifts on the surface of the sea attached to a raft of bubbles. The shell is typically purple-violet and the animal emits a violet fluid when attacked.
Family Janthinidae, class Gastropoda
Example sentencesExamples
- Specimens of the violet sea snail whose habitat is the Atlantic have been picked up at Bundoran.
- For example, the blue fleet is a term used to describe oceanic drifters such as bluebottles and violet snails.
- Following Key Largo is the group of islands known as Islamorada, or ‘purple islands,’ named by the Spanish for their violet sea snails and purple bougainvillea.
- ‘The mild winter we have been having and strong westerly winds have been bringing all kinds of warm water visitors to our shores including the beautiful violet sea snail, by-the-wind-sailor and sea beans - the large seeds of tropical vines,’ he added.
- The ocean looks clear and the number of bluebottles, violet snails and other surface life indicates some clear oceanic water of 20°-plus has blown in close to the coast.