Janolus is a genus of small to large sea slugs, or more accurately nudibranchs, marine gastropod mollusks, in the family Janolidae. The name Janolus is derived from the two-headed god Janus, in ancient Roman mythology.
Description
Adult individuals of Janolus species can be between 2.5 cm to 8 cm long, depending on the species. They are semi-translucent and the body is covered in short cerata.
Distribution
Janolus species are found in many areas world-wide, including Europe, Australia, Japan and Africa.
Ecology
Habitat
This genus of nudibranch is found in shallow and subtidal waters.
Feeding habits
Janolus species feed on Bryozoa, moss animals.
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.
Species
Species in the genus Janolus include:
- Janolus anulatus <small>Camacho-Garcia & Gosliner, 2006</small>
- Janolus australis <small>Bergh, 1884</small>
- Janolus chilensis <small>M.A. Fischer, Cervera & Ortea, 1997</small>
- Janolus comis <small>Er. Marcus, 1955</small>
- Janolus eximius <small>Miller & Willan, 1986</small>
- Janolus faustoi <small>Ortea & Llera, 1988</small>
- Janolus flavoanulatus <small>Pola & Gosliner, 2019</small>
- Janolus hyalinus <small>(Alder and Hancock, 1854)</small>
- Janolus ignis <small>Miller & Willan, 1986</small>
- Janolus incrustans <small>Pola & Gosliner, 2019</small>
- Janolus kinoi <small>Edmunds & Carmona, 2017</small>
- Janolus mirabilis <small>Baba & Abe, 1970</small>
- Janolus mokohinau <small>Miller & Willan, 1986</small>
- Janolus mucloc <small>(Er. Marcus, 1958)</small>
- Janolus rebeccae <small>Schrödl, 1996</small>
- Janolus savinkini <small>Martynov & Korshunova, 2012</small>
- Janolus toyamensis <small>Baba & Abe, 1970</small>
- Janolus tricellariodes <small>Pola & Gosliner, 2019</small>
Species brought into synonymy:
- Janolus barbarensis <small>(J. G. Cooper, 1863)</small>:synonym of Antiopella barbarensis <small>(J. G. Cooper, 1863)</small>
- Janolus capensis <small>Bergh, 1907</small>:synonym of Antiopella capensis <small>(Bergh, 1907)</small> (original combination)
- Janolus costacubensis <small>Ortea & Espinosa, 2000</small>:synonym of Janolus comis <small>Er. Marcus, 1955</small>
- Janolus cristatus <small>(Delle Chiaje, 1841)</small>:synonym of Antiopella cristata <small>(Delle Chiaje, 1841)</small>
- Janolus flagellatus <small>Eliot, 1906</small>:synonym of Janolus hyalinus <small>(Alder & Hancock, 1854)</small> (dubious synonym)
- Janolus fuscus <small>O'Donoghue, 1924</small>:synonym of Antiopella fusca <small>(O'Donoghue, 1924)</small> (original combination)
- Janolus longidentatus <small>Gosliner, 1981</small>:synonym of Antiopella longidentata <small>(Gosliner, 1981)</small> (original combination)
- Janolus nakaza <small>(Gosliner, 1981)</small>:synonym of Bonisa nakaza <small>Gosliner, 1981</small>
- Janolus novozealandicus <small>(Eliot, 1907)</small>:synonym of Antiopella novozealandica <small>Eliot, 1907</small>
- Janolus praeclarus <small>(Bouchet, 1975)</small>:synonym of Antiopella praeclara <small>Bouchet, 1975</small>
References