Dear Rosesea,  Purpura patula is usually found from Miami South thru the
Keys.  I've found them on Conch Key and several other southern Keys.
They are usually far out of the water at low tide, sometimes above your
head when you're walking by a seawall.
 
Sarah,  you found them where?  We know they are all over the caribbean.
They don't show any dye when they are on the rocks, but when you take
them off a milky liquid that's isn't purple will turn your fingers
purple.  We went on a trip to Aruba and one of the ladies on the trip
found one and put it in her bathing suit top and you know what turned
purple.  True story.
 
I don't want to appear like I know it all, because when I try to help on
a question I don't get any response.  I have been collecting Florida
shells for many years, but I haven't done much for the past 3 years,
except on Worldwide Marginellas.  There are others on Conch-L that can
answer many of these questions better than I can, but when they do they
probably don't get any response either.
 
Bob Lipe
 
 
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