Beu: Evolution of Janthina and Recluzia 
195 
Janthina pallida (Harvey) Thompson-Pasteur-Humbert, 
1962: 53, fig. 75. 
Janthina pallida Thompson.-Bennett, 1966: 47, pi. 
10, figs 2-3; Fretter & Graham, 1982: 393, fig. 280; 
Kilbum & Rippey, 1982: 79; Wells & Bryce, 1986: 60, 
fig. 154; Giannuzzi-Savelli et al., 1999: 54-57, figs 
96a-101; Redfern, 2001: 76, pi. 36, fig. 317; Ardovini 
& Cossignani, 2004: 28, 136; Robertson, 2007a: 5, fig. 
4; Luque, 2011: 209, text-fig.; Hernandez et ah, 2011: 
98, figs 30J-K. 
Violetta pallida (Thompson).-Kuroda et ah, 1971: 246, pi. 
62, fig. 15. 
Janthina (Violetta) pallida Thompson.-Abbott, 1974: 113, 
col. pi. 3, fig. 1180; Higo etah, 1999: 174. 
Janthina (Violeta) [sic] pallida Thompson.-Rios 1994: 102, 
pi. 33, fig. 415. 
Janthina (Amethistina) pallida Thompson -Okutani, 2000: 
319, pi. 158, fig. 3. 
Janthina pallida Harvey in Thompson-Poppe, 2008: 722, 
pi. 306, fig. 3. 
Janthina exigua Lamarck.-Severns 2011: 198, lower fig 
(misidentification). 
Type material. Janthina pallida, no type material in 
NHMUK, location of any type material not known; from 
Milton Malbay, County Clare, Ireland. Thorpe (1844: 152) 
also stated the locality as “Clare”. Janthina striolata, three 
syntypes NHMUK1951.3.14.4-6, from “Pacific Ocean”, ex 
Cuming collection. It would be preferable to use a specimen 
that has been included in a molecular study as the neotype 
for J. pallida, as for all other species, but this species has 
not been studied by this means. A. Adams & Reeve’s (1850: 
54, pi. 11, fig. 9) and Reeve’s (1858: pi. 4, figs 20a-b) 
illustrated syntype of J. striolata, NHMUK1951.3.14.4, is 
here designated the neotype of Janthina pallida Thompson, 
1840. The three syntypes of Janthina striolata are unusual 
specimens with weak, irregularly spaced, insignificant spiral 
threads around the last whorl, but are otherwise typical of J. 
pahlida. Because of the cosmopolitan distribution of this as 
well as all other Janthina species and the very wide locality 
stated for J. striolata, the type locality of these names is not 
considered to be an important consideration for a neotype 
designation, and the designation of this neotype is necessary 
for the stabilization of the name Janthina pallida. 
Other material examined. Present-day samples from Australia and New 
Zealand: Australia: Northern Territory: Cape Wessel (WAM); E side Cape 
Wessel I., Amhem Land (AMS C77883); Port Darwin (AMS C13905). 
Western Australia: Cable Beach, Broome (NMV); City Beach, Perth 
(AMS); False Bay (AMS); King George Sound (many, SAMA); Cheyne 
Beach (WAM); Peaceful Bay, Bow Bridge (WAM); Bunbury (AMS); Windy 
Harbour, Cape D’Entrecasteaux (GNSWM15256,1). South Australia: Port 
Lincoln (WAM); Victoria: Portland (SAMA; NMV); Mordialloc (NMV). 
Queensland: Torres Strait (AMS). 
Distribution. The writer is not aware of fossils of Janthina 
pallida. Laursen (1953: 33) recorded Janthina pallida 
from “the three oceans, but north of the equator ... where 
the temperature does not drop below 15°C”. This peculiar 
distribution, in which inter-ocean connections would not 
be possible, is proved incorrect by Benson’s (1860) much 
earlier records of J. pallida collected from the Malcolm near 
Tristan da Cunha in the South Atlantic (30°S 18°W-33°S 
10°W) and NE of St Paul and Amsterdam Islands, as well 
as midway between Natal and Western Australia (33°S 
81°E-30°S 83°E) in the southern Indian Ocean. Bennett 
(1966: 47, pi. 10, figs 2-3) illustrated specimens collected 
alive in the North Pacific (31 °06'N 130°06'W; and “in North 
Pacific waters”) during a cruise c. 500 km west of California, 
31 °N 125-140°W. Australian beach records of J. pallida also 
disprove Laursen’s statement. Although/, pallida has never 
been recorded from much of the coastline of Australia by 
Hedley, Iredale or other major Australian authors, museum 
collections show that it occurs sporadically around the 
southern, western and northern coasts (clockwise, from 
western Victoria to Torres Strait). It is relatively common 
in southern Western Australia, and specimens have been 
seen from South Africa (Table 9)—a pattern suggesting 
transport from the Atlantic via South Africa in the Antarctic 
Circumpolar Current. Kilburn & Rippey (1982: 79) also 
recorded specimens from South Africa. However, the writer 
is not aware of records from New Zealand, eastern Australia, 
or Norfolk Island, Lord Howe Island and the Kermadec 
Islands. It is one of the more northward-ranging species in the 
Atlantic, occurring in southern Britain, and seems to have a 
somewhat sporadic occurrence throughout the world tropical 
and warm-temperate ocean. Savilov (1969: 402) also noted 
that the Vityaz observed J. pallida only in the North Pacific. 
Samples were obtained at only 12 stations in the northern 
subtropical circulation, mainly in areas contiguous with the 
Kuroshio Current. However, it is evidently common in the 
Mediterranean (Figs 4A, 5B); 280 specimens were reported 
by Palazzi (1979) cast ashore on beaches in Sicily. 
Dimensions. See Table 9. 
Diagnosis. Moderate-sized (H to c. 30 mm), spire moderately 
tall, whorls strongly and evenly convex, suture deeply 
impressed; surface lightly polished, without obvious 
sculpture other than fine spiral threads on a few specimens. 
Sinus occupying entire height of outer lip, most shallowly 
V-shaped of all living Janthina species; apex in centre of 
lip. Anterior end of aperture evenly semicircular; many 
specimens with widely flared outer lip; central columella 
curved forwards (abaperturally). Almost uniform very pale 
violet, slightly paler dorsally; palest of all Janthina species. 
Lays ovate-triangular egg capsules on underside of float. 
Remarks. Thompson (1840: 96, pi. 2, fig. 2) published the 
name Janthina pallida in the synonymy of “J. nitensT ’, 
and stated that the name J. pallida had been suggested 
verbally by his friend Harvey, who collected the specimens. 
Thompson (1840: 96) stated that it was most similar to 
Ianthina nitens Menke, as described and illustrated by 
Philippi in “Enumeration molluscorum Siciliae” (i.e., 
Janthina globosa), but differs in the columella being 
curved, instead of being straight, so that the anterior end 
of the aperture is rounded, and “ ... the colour ... is very 
different”. Thompson’s (1840: pi. 2, fig. 2) drawing is an 
excellent one of J. pallida of all later authors, emphasising 
the evenly subcircular aperture. Many authors before 1961, 
beginning with Thorpe (1844: 152), have treated J. pallida 
as the valid name for this species. Therefore, the name J. 
pallida is conserved under ICZN Article 11.6.1. Following 
Article 11.6.1 the name should be attributed to Thompson 
Table 9. Dimensions of Janthina pallida. 
locality ] 
height 
diam. 
H/D 
Janthina striolata syntype, neotype of J. pallida 
22.6 
21.1 
1.07 
Janthina striolata syntype, NHMTJK 1951.3.14.5 
24.0 
22.2 
1.08 
GNS WM15256, Windy Harbour, S Western Australia 
16.5 
14.5 
1.14 
GNS WM19277, Muizenberg, False Bay, South Africa 
118.6 
16.2 
1.15 
