Navanax inermis

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Navanax inermis
From Catalina Island, California
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Mollusca Class: Gastropoda Order: Opisthobranchia Suborder: Cephalaspidea Superfamily: Philinoidea Family: Aglajidae Genus: Navanax Species: N. inermis
Binomial name
Navanax inermis Cooper, 1863

Navanax inermis is a species of predatory sea slug, a marine opisthobranch gastropod mollusk in the family Aglajidae and the order Cephalaspidea, the headshield slugs and bubble snails.

It has been suggested that this species should be moved to the genus Aglaja, but the name Navanax is still used in many of the popular works on mollusks.

Navanax is not a nudibranch, even though it somewhat resembles one; it belongs to a more ancient group of opisthobranchs.

Contents 1 Distribution 2 Description 3 Life habits 4 References

[edit] Distribution

This species occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Its range is from Bolinas Lagoon, California, in the north, to Laguna Manuela, Mexico, in the south, including the Gulf of California^[1].

[edit] Description

This species can reach a total length of more than 22 cm.^[2].

[edit] Life habits

Navanax inermis is a voracious predator, feeding on various sea slugs and bubble snails of the order Cephalaspidea, as well as nudibranchs such as Hermissenda crassicornis, Polycera atra, and Dirona picta. It uses chemoreceptors to track the slime trails of prey, and of potential mates.

Like all other Opisthobranchs, it is hermaphroditic.

[edit] References

1. ^ Navanax inermis. The Slugsite. Retrieved on 24 April 2006.
2. ^ Navanax inermis. The Sea Slug Forum. Retrieved on 24 April 2006.