Violet snails shells are left behind by animals that survive by eating Portuguese men-of-war. I’ve often found violet snail shells on Hawaii’s windward beaches, and could fit about 10 in my palm. Here ...

This snail is happily hanging upside down from what looks like a mirror, but it’s actually the surface of the sea. The violet snail spends its adult life surfing from place to place on a bubble raft.

Oceanographer Anya Stajner was recently enjoying a sunset walk along the La Jolla Shores beach when a vibrant violet pop of color caught her eye in the sand. She got down on her hands and knees and ...

SAN DIEGO — San Diego beachgoers are getting a rare and colorful treat. Stunning violet sea snails have recently made a surprise appearance along La Jolla Shores, riding in on a warm ocean current.

For a long time when I thought of the violet snail a cold chill would run down my spine. I first learned about it after moving to a new town in a new state, knowing almost no one. I sat in my living ...