Ooperipatellus | |
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Ooperipatellus nanus | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Onychophora |
Family: | Peripatopsidae |
Genus: | Ooperipatellus Ruhberg, 1985 |
Species | |
See text |
Ooperipatellus is a genus of Australian and New Zealand velvet worms in the Peripatopsidae family. [1] Species in this genus are oviparous. [2] This genus was proposed by Hilke Ruhberg in 1985, with Ooperipatellus insignis designed at the type species. [3] This genus is notable as the only one in which velvet worms have no more than 14 pairs of legs: [4]
Most species in this genus have 14 leg pairs, and O. nanus has only 13 pairs, [5] [6] [7] the minimum number found in the phylum Onychophora. [8] Velvet worms in this genus are also among the smallest known, with adults often only 10 to 20 mm long. Species in this genus range in size from O nanus, which can be only 5 mm long, to O. nickmayeri , which can reach 60 mm in length. [7] Velvet worms in this genus have no modified head papillae, the males feature a cruciform genital opening (gonopore), and the females feature an ovipositor. [4] [7] This genus contains all oviparous velvet worm species with 13 or 14 leg pairs and no modified head structures (e.g., sclerotized head organs). [7]
In spite of a disjoint geographic distribution across New Zealand, Tasmania, and Southern Australia, morphological and molecular data indicate that this genus is a monophyletic group. Molecular studies indicate that this clade includes two subclades, one containing species in New Zealand and the other containing species in both Tasmania and mainland Australia. Paleogeographic evidence indicates that glacial events severed the land connection between Tasmania and mainland Australia more recently than rifting broke the land connection between Australia and New Zealand, which would explain the phylogenetic tree that emerges from molecular studies of this genus. [7]
The genus contains the following species: [1] [9] [10]
Ooperipatellus cryptusJackson & Taylor, 1994 is considered a nomen dubium by Oliveira et al., 2012.
Peripatopsis is a genus of velvet worms in the Peripatopsidae family. These velvet worms are found in the KwaZulu-Natal, Western Cape, and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This genus was proposed by the British zoologist Reginald I. Pocock in 1894 with Peripatopsis capensis designated as the type species.
Leucopatus is a genus of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae, containing a single species, the blind velvet worm. It is found in northeast Tasmania, Australia, and is ovoviviparous.
Peripatopsidae is one of the two living velvet worm families. This family includes more than 140 described species distributed among 41 genera, but some authorities deem only 131 of these species to be valid. The French zoologist Eugène Louis Bouvier proposed this family in 1905 with Peripatopsis as the type genus.
Austroperipatus is a genus of oviparous and ovoviviparous velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. This genus has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The species in this genus are found in northern Queensland, Australia.
Peripatoides novaezealandiae s. str. is an allozymatic species of velvet worms in the Peripatoides novaezealandiae-complex, endemic to New Zealand. Other described species include P. aurorbis, P. kawekaensis, P. morgani and P. sympatrica.
Occiperipatoides is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Occiperipatoides gilesii. This genus is ovoviviparous and found in Western Australia. The genus is part of the ancient phylum Onychophora that contains soft-bodied, many-legged relatives of arthropods known commonly as velvet worms.
Ooperipatus is a genus of Australian velvet worms in the Peripatopsidae family. All species in this genus are oviparous and have 15 pairs of oncopods (legs).
Paraperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. The number of legs vary within species as well as among species in this genus and can range from as few as 21 pairs up to 27 pairs in males and 29 pairs in females. The maximum number of leg pairs recorded in this genus (29) is also the maximum number of leg pairs found in the family Peripatopsidae. This genus exhibits matrotrophic viviparity, that is, mothers in this genus retain eggs in their uteri and supply nourishment to their embryos, but without any placenta. Species in this genus are found in New Guinea and Maluku, Indonesia.
Tasmanipatus barretti, the giant velvet worm, is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. It is the sole species in the genus Tasmanipatus and is ovoviviparous.
Ooperipatellus decoratus is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species has 14 pairs of legs and is found in Tasmania, Australia.
Ooperipatellus insignis is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. Females of this species range from 5 mm to 39 mm in length, while males range from 4 mm to 30 mm in length. This species has 14 pairs of legs and is found in Victoria, Australia.
Ooperipatellus nanus is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is endemic to New Zealand and is found in the South Island.
Ooperipatellus viridimaculatus is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is oviparous, has 14 pairs of legs, ranges from 30 mm to 50 mm in length, and is brown or orange in color with two rows of green spots along its back. It is found in the South Island of New Zealand.
Peripatopsis hamerae is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is a clade in the P. moseleyi species complex. The original description of this species is based on one specimen of each sex, each measuring 22 mm in length with a black dorsal surface and creamy white ventral surface. The male of this species has 22 pairs of pregenital legs and one pair of genital legs; the female has 23 pairs of pregenital legs and one pair of genital legs. Also known as the Kamala velvet worm, this species is known only from Groot Bruintjieshoogte in South Africa.
Peripatopsis lawrencei is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 18 pairs of legs: 17 pregenital leg pairs plus one last pair that is strongly reduced and without claws or spinous pads. This species is restricted to the Theewaterskloof-Overstrand region of 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.
Ooperipatellus nickmayeri is a species of oviparous velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is larger than any other in the genus Ooperipatellus. With a body size exceeding 60 mm in females and 30 mm in males, these velvet worms can be more than twice as long as other species of this genus.
Diemenipatus is a genus of viviparous Tasmanian velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. All species in this genus have 15 pairs of legs in both sexes.
Diemenipatus mesibovi is a species of viviparous velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality is in Tasmania.
Diemenipatus taiti is a species of viviparous velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality is in Tasmania.