Species profile
Beaded Periwinkle
Cenchritis muricatus
At a glance
Beaded Periwinkle (Cenchritis muricatus) is a marine snails (periwinkle/cowrie) present across the CatchRules coverage area but without species-specific bag, size, or season rules tracked in our regulatory dataset.
Confirmed by 363 research-grade iNaturalist observations, concentrated in Florida.
Notable details
- Rows of tiny raised beads covering its shell inspired its common name.
- It grazes on algae and microorganisms coating rocky intertidal surfaces.
- Shell height typically reaches about 2–3 cm.
- Native to Caribbean and south Florida rocky shores.
- As an upper intertidal species, it tolerates hours of air exposure each low tide.
Where Beaded Periwinkle are seen
Background
Cenchritis muricatus is a species of sea snail in the family Littorinidae, the winkles or periwinkles. It occurs in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Lesser Antilles. It is known commonly as the beaded periwinkle.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Beaded Periwinkle article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.