elongate janthina; Janthina globosa
A species of violet sea snail. The name is usually written in katakana as ルリガイ.
The elongate janthina is a sea snail with a beautiful purple shell.
Katakana spelling is common for this species name; usually written in kana.
Kanji spelling is rare; the word is usually written in kana.
The name ルリガイ (瑠璃貝) literally means 'lapis lazuli shell', referring to its violet-blue color. The exact derivation is uncertain beyond this descriptive compound.