Modest Periwinkle, Echinolittorina modesta

Modest Periwinkle, Echinolittorina modesta. Size: 1.5 cm (0.6 inches) x 1.0 cm (0.4 inches).

The Modest Periwinkle, Echinolittorina modesta (Phillipi, 1846), is a member of the Littorinidae Family of Periwinkle Shells. The shells consist of five to six rounded whorls, modestly pointed apex and the exterior is sculpted with a series of ridges following along the whorls. The shell is white in color, with reddish brown speckling or blotching; the aperture is light orange-brown; and, some shells have apertures that are raised with dark brown markings. Modest Periwinkle Shells reach a maximum length of reach 1.9 cm (0.8 inches).

Modest Periwinkles are found along rocky shorelines in the mid to high intertidal zone. They range from Ensenada, Baja California to Peru. They have not been reported from the Sea of Cortez.

Synonyms include Littorina modesta, Littorina phillipi, and Nodilittorina modesta.