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Figure 7. Recluzia johnii (Holten), two living animals in aquaria, collected on beach in northern New South Wales; specimens reflected 
on under-surface of water at top of images. (A-B) two views of the same two animals feeding on an Actinecta anemone (at upper right 
in Fig. 7A), showing similar characters to R. lutea, but taller shell and longer (more expanded?) cephalic tentacles; in Fig. 7B, anemone 
has been consumed (reproduced with permission of Denis Riek, Brunswick Heads, NSW). Scale bars 10 mm. 
Island; these likely represent specimens blown ashore on 
a beach. The animal also cannot raise or lower itself in the 
water column as early authors thought, e.g., Swainson (1840: 
31) described Janthina as having “a cellular organ attached 
to the belly, by which it floats on the surface of the ocean, 
or sinks to the bottom, at its own pleasure”. Many authors 
have described and illustrated the animal of Janthina and 
the method of formation of bubbles by cupping air within 
the propodium, coating the bubble in mucus from the pedal 
mucus gland, and attaching bubbles to the float by pressing 
