Peripatidae is a family of velvet worms. The oldest putative representatives of the family herald from Burmese amber dated to the mid-Cretaceous, around 100 Ma, with representatives from Dominican and Baltic amber attesting to a broader distribution in the Palaeogene / Neogene; molecular variability suggests that the family's crown group may have arisen in the early Mesozoic.
Eoperipatus is a Southeast Asian genus of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. The number of legs in this genus varies within species and ranges from 22 pairs to 25 pairs.
Metaperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae that includes the species Metaperipatus inae. Males of this species have 20 pairs of legs; females have 22 pairs. This species is a dark grayish blue in color, with large orange/red spots. When walking, females of this species can be as long as 85 mm, and males can be as long as 60 mm. The type locality is in central Chile.
Eoperipatus horsti is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is brown with pale spots and a darker line running down the middle of its back. Females of this species have 24 or 25 pairs of legs; males have 23 or 24, usually 23. The males of this species can reach 40 mm in length, and the females can reach 46 mm in length, but the average specimen is 34 mm in length. The type locality is in West Malaysia.
Eoperipatus butleri is a Malaysian species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family.
Epiperipatus acacioi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is dark purple with a bilaterally symmetric pattern on its dorsal surface and ranges from 13 mm to 47 mm in length. Males of this species have 24 to 27 pairs of legs, usually 25 or 26; females have 26 to 30, usually 27 or 28. The type locality is in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Epiperipatus brasiliensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Males of this species have 29 pairs of legs; females have 31 or 33. This species ranges from 37 mm to 80 mm in length. The type locality is in Pará, Brazil. Epiperipatus vagans from Barro Colorado Island (Panama) was originally described as subspecies of Epiperipatus brasiliensis, but is now treated as a full species.
Epiperipatus simoni is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is dark brown without any pattern on its dorsal surface. Females of this species range from 40 mm to 68 mm in length and have 28 to 32 pairs of legs. The type locality is in Venezuela.
Epiperipatus edwardsii is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Females of this species have 29 to 34 pairs of legs; males have 28 to 30. Females range from 23 mm to 56 mm in length, whereas males range from 25 mm to 30 mm. The type locality is in French Guiana.
Epiperipatus evansi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is a purplish dark brown with a series of bright triangles on each side forming a series of diamonds down its back. Females of this species have 28 pairs of legs and range from 32 mm to 58 mm in length. The type locality is in Guyana.
Epiperipatus isthmicola is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is a dark brown, almost black, without any pattern on its dorsal surface. Females of this species have 29 to 32 pairs of legs; males have 26 or 27. Females range from 20 mm to 73 mm in length, whereas males range from 20 mm to 48 mm. The type locality is in Costa Rica.
Epiperipatus machadoi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is dark brown with a series of light brown arcs on each side forming circles down its back and ranges from 20 mm to 66 mm in length. Males of this species have 27 to 29 pairs of legs, usually 28; females have 28 to 31, usually 31. The type locality is in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Macroperipatus guianensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. The male of this species has 24 pairs of legs; females have 27 or 28 leg pairs, usually 28. This species ranges from 30 mm to 80 mm in length. The type locality is in Guyana.
Opisthopatus cinctipes is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 16 pairs of legs, all with claws and all used for walking. Females range from 7 mm to 50 mm in length, whereas males range from 6 mm to 36 mm. The type locality is in South Africa.
Peripatus danicus is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Females of this species have 31 to 33 pairs of legs; males have 26 to 28. Females range from 26 mm to 45 mm in length, whereas males range from 9 mm to 21 mm. The type locality is in Saint Thomas Island.
Peripatus dominicae is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Males of this species have 25 pairs of legs; females can have 28 to 31 pairs of legs, but usually have 29. Females in this species range in size from 29 mm to 56 mm in length, while males range from 17 mm to 25 mm in length. The type locality is in Dominica.
Paraperipatus ceramensis is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. Females of this species have 21 or 22 pairs of legs and range from 13 mm to 55 mm in length. The type locality is in Seram, Indonesia.
Paraperipatus papuensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. Males in this species have 21 to 27 pairs of legs; females have 21 to 29 leg pairs. The maximum number of leg pairs recorded in this species (29) is also the maximum number of leg pairs found in the family Peripatopsidae. Females range from 22 mm to 83 mm in length, whereas males range from 19 mm to 45 mm. The type locality is in Western New Guinea, Indonesia.
Peripatopsis balfouri is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 18 pairs of clawed legs. Specimens range from 9 mm to 22 mm in length. The type locality is in South Africa.
Peripatopsis moseleyi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. Males of this species have 20 to 24 pairs of legs with claws ; females have 19 to 23 pairs of legs with claws. Females range from 11 mm to 75 mm in length, whereas males range from 9 mm to 50 mm. The type locality is in South Africa.
