About Austrolittorina unifasciata (J.E.Gray, 1826)
Austrolittorina unifasciata, commonly called the banded periwinkle or common periwinkle, has a shell that ranges in size from 10 mm (0.39 in) to 25 mm (0.98 in). It is the only species of its genus found in Australia. It is distributed in the Coral Sea off Queensland, Australia and in the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. This common periwinkle also inhabits rocky shores of New Zealand, and is commonly found on South Pacific Islands including Norfolk Island. This periwinkle species lives in the splash zone and high intertidal zone, where it occurs in clusters of individuals. It grazes on lichen and algae, and this small snail is preyed on by crabs and birds.
