Blue Periwinkle

Small marine snails (molluscs), often called Australwinks.

They are light blue to grey in colour and have a smooth shell that spirals up to a light brown to reddish-brown sharp tip (apex).

10 - 15 mm

Field Guide

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Species Category: Marine
Species origin: Native
Conservation status: Common
Did You Know?
- They are herbivores that scrape lichens from the rock with a specialised tongue called a radula
- The furthest one recorded from the high tide level is 10 m
What to Observe

Search area for 30 minutes and record the following:
- Abundant: found easily with little searching
- Frequent: found with minimal searching
- Rare: only 1 or 2 individuals found with intensive searching
- Not found: not present during search
When and Where

When To Look
- Throughout the year
Where To Look
- North West Cape of Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, NSW and up to Yeppoon in Queensland
- Common on rocky shores, from high tide level to wave splash zone
- Usually found very high up the platform where there is little to no standing water
What Else?

Similar Species

Blue Periwinkles are able to live high up on the shore, a feature which separates them from most other marine snails.

Noddiwinks also live high up on the shore but they can be distinguished by their easily seen nodules or bumps on their shells and are slightyl larger in size.
Trails: Bellarine Peninsula - Barwon Coast & Ocean Grove Nature Reserve VIC, Cape Conran VIC, Killalea State Park NSW, Randwick Coastal Walkway NSW, Ricketts Point VIC
Species Region: Australia