Niparaya, Zamora-Silva & Malaquias, 2018

Zamora-Silva, Andrea & Malaquias, Manuel António E., 2018, Molecular phylogeny of the Aglajidae head-shield sea slugs (Heterobranchia: Cephalaspidea): new evolutionary lineages revealed and proposal of a new classification, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 183, pp. 1-51 : 40

GENUS NIPARAYA GEN. NOV.

( FIGS 3J, 5D; TABLES 1 AND 2)

Type species: Aglaja regiscorona Bertsch, 1972 . By subsequent designation.

Diagnosis: Live animals up to 5 mm in length. Cephalic shield acuminated, with translucent velum along the front side (autapomorphy) and a posterior, small, three-pointed elevated crown-like projection (autapomorphy); reduced sensory bristles, not visible to the naked eye; posterior shield with bulbous pustules (autapomorphy); symmetrical caudal lobes, rounded, flat; parapodia reduced ( Fig. 3J). Shell calcified, concave, constricted, with closed nuclear whorl, with ridges separated by a slight indentation ( Fig. 5D). Small ampulla, slightly coiled; mucous gland faintly curved; receptaculum seminis entering the hermaphroditic duct at the middle of its length. Penial papilla with a rounded distal bulb (autapomorphy); prostatic region with two sections varying in shape and texture (autapomorphy) ( Bertsch, 1972; Gosliner, 1980).

Type locality: Bahía de las Cruces, Baja California, México .

Etymology: The word ‘niparaya’ means ‘creator of everything’ in Pericú, the language of the aboriginal inhabitants of the southern part of the Baja California Peninsula ( México), the type locality of N. regiscorona and is also the name of the main deity and king of the Pericú mythology. Thus, the genus name Niparaya is a metaphor for the ‘crowned slug’ N. regiscorona ( ‘ regiscorona ’ means king’s crown in Latin).