Navanax inermis mucus cocoon

May 23, 2007
From: Phil Garner

I noticed a mucus cocoon on a Navanax inermis at Redondo Beach, California last night. Do they secrete this for protection while sleeping the way Parrotfish do?

Locality: Redondo Beach, 80 feet, California, Pacific, 03 January 2007, Muddy bottom. Length: 3 inches. Photographer: Phil Garner.

Phil Garner

PacificCoast101@cox.net

Garner, P., 2007 (May 23) Navanax inermis mucus cocoon. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19140

Dear Phil,
It certainly is an interesting thought to compare this 'cocoon' with the temporary mucus nest that Parrot Fish sleep in, but I don't think aglajids have a similar behaviour. Aglajids, like Navanax, have a cluster of large mucus glands at the front of the body which produce a continuous mucus tube through which the animal crawls, especially when it is burrowing through the sand. I suspect in this case that the animal has just emerged from the sand and hasn't quite sloughed off the sand-entangled mucus, or perhaps something has just washed it out of the sand - a current? or anchor? perhaps.

Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2007 (May 23). Comment on Navanax inermis mucus cocoon by Phil Garner. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/19140

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