Janolus fuscus
Janolus fuscus is a species of sea slug, or more accurately a nudibranch, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Proctonotidae.
Janolus fuscus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | |
Class: | |
(unranked): | clade Heterobranchia clade Euthyneura clade Nudipleura clade Nudibranchia clade Dexiarchia clade Cladobranchia |
Family: | |
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Species: | J. fuscus |
Binomial name | |
Janolus fuscus | |
Distribution
The species Janolus fuscus is found from the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska to central California and also in northern Japan.[1]
Habitat
This species of nudibranch is found in shallow and subtidal waters.
Description
The bodies of nudibranchs in this species are semi-translucent. The body is covered in short cerata. In Janolus fuscus the cerata are orange and white tipped.
Predators
In California, Navanax is a known predator of Janolus. Navanax tracks the slime of Janolus by using chemoreceptors. When Janolus is about to be caught, it rolls into a ball, leaving its cerata exposed. If there is a water current, as if often the case, the sea slug may then be passively rolled away from the predator.
References
- "Janolus fuscus". Sea Slug Forum. Archived from the original on 13 July 2007. Retrieved 24 December 2006.