Paraperipatus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Onychophora |
Family: | Peripatopsidae |
Genus: | Paraperipatus Ruhberg, 1985 |
Species | |
See text |
Paraperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. [1] 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. [2] Species in this genus are found in New Guinea and the surrounding islands, including the Maluku achipelago. [3] [4]
The number of legs vary within species as well as among species in this genus and can range from as few as 21 pairs (e.g., in P. ceramensis ) up to 27 pairs in males and 29 pairs in females (both in P. papuensis ). [4] [5] The maximum number of leg pairs recorded in this genus (29) is also the maximum number of leg pairs found in the family Peripatopsidae. [6] [7] Females in this genus range from 11 mm to 90 mm in length, while the males range from 11 mm to 45 mm in length. The feet feature three distal papillae, with one anterior, one posterior, and the position of the third variable, but usually in the middle between the others. The nephridial opening on the fourth and fifth leg pairs is in the center of the third pad on the soles of the feet. [4] The genital pad in both sexes is located behind the last pair of legs. In males, the genital pad is prominent and conical. [8]
The genus contains the following species: [1]
Paraperipatus amboinensisPflugfelder, 1948, Paraperipatus leopoldiLeloup 1931, Paraperipatus schultzeiHeymons, 1912, and Paraperipatus stresemanniBouvier, 1914 are considered nomina dubia by Oliveira et al., 2012.
Opisthopatus roseus is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. As traditionally defined, this species is rose pink with 18 pairs of legs. Known as the pink velvet worm, it is found only in the Weza Forest, a Mistbelt Forest in South Africa.
Opisthopatus is a genus of South African velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. The number of legs in this genus range from 16 pairs to 18 pairs. The feet in this genus feature three distal leg papillae: one anterior, one posterior, and one median. Mothers in this genus give birth to live young. In particular, 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.
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.
Typhloperipatus is a genus of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae, containing the sole species Typhloperipatus williamsoni. This genus is notable for containing the only species in the phylum Onychophora found in South Asia. This species is also striking in that this velvet worm shows no external trace of eyes, although rudimentary optical vesicles are present internally.
Peripatidae is a family of velvet worms. This family includes more than 90 described species distributed among 13 genera, but some authorities deem only 80 of these species to be valid. The oldest putative representatives of the family herald from Burmese amber dated to the mid-Cretaceous, around 100 million years ago, 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.
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.
Eoperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatidae. These velvet worms have been reported from locations throughout Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. This genus exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this genus retain yolky eggs in their uteri.
Ooperipatellus is a genus of Australian and New Zealand velvet worms in the Peripatopsidae family. Species in this genus are oviparous. This genus was proposed by Hilke Ruhberg in 1985, with Ooperipatellus insignis designed at the type species. This genus is notable as the only one in which velvet worms have no more than 14 pairs of legs:
Metaperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae that contains two species found in Chile, including Metaperipatus inae. This genus was created by the American zoologist Austin Hobart Clark in 1913 to contain the type species, M. blainvillei. Authorities believe M. blainvillei is a species complex, however, and some consider M. blainvillei a nomen dubium.
Paropisthopatus is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Paropisthopatus umbrinus. Females of this species range from 20 mm to 70 mm in length. The type locality is in central Chile. Velvet worms in this genus have 16 pairs of legs. 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.
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. The color of the dorsal surface varies from blue to olive green. Females range from 7 mm to 50 mm in length, whereas males range from 6 mm to 36 mm. Like other velvet worms in this genus, this species exhibits matrotrophic viviparity, that is, mothers in this genus retain eggs in their uteri and supply nourishment to their embryos, but without any placenta. The type locality is in South Africa.
Paraperipatus ceramensis is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is grey-green with rust speckles. 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 keiensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is green-black with yellow-brown spots. Females of this species have 24 or 25 pairs of legs; males have 22 or 23. Females range from 27 mm to 48 mm in length, whereas males range from 25 mm to 33 mm. The type locality is in Kai Besar, Indonesia.
Paraperipatus papuensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is a pale greenish blue. Females of this species may have as few as 21 pairs of legs or as many as 29 pairs, exhibiting the greatest intraspecific variation in leg number found in any peripatopsid species. Males of this species range from 21 to 27 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.
Paraperipatus lorentzi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is a dark green-blue. Females of this species have 22 to 28 pairs of legs; males have 21 or 22 pairs of legs. Whereas the original description of this species records 19 mm as the length of a male specimen, females range from 33 mm to 60 mm in length. The type locality is in Western New Guinea, Indonesia. The validity of this species is uncertain: Although some authorities deem P. lorentzi to be a junior synonym of P. papuensis, a similar species also found in Western New Guinea, others recognize them as two separate species.
Peripatopsis capensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 18 pairs of legs: 17 pregenital leg pairs with claws plus one strongly reduced last pair without claws or spinous pads. Females of this species range from 9 mm to 70 mm in length, whereas males range from 6 mm to 54 mm. The native range of this species is limited to the Cape Peninsula of South Africa.
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 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.
Peripatopsis sedgwicki is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. Also known as the Tsitsikamma velvet worm, this species has a narrow geographic distribution in South Africa but is especially abundant in the indigenous forest of the Tsitsikamma mountains. Recent phylogenetic analysis suggests that Peripatopsis sedgwicki is a species complex that contains three clades, each with a distinct geographic distribution, including at least one clade that may represent a novel species.
Peripatopsis overbergiensis, the Overberg velvet worm, is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species usually has 19 pairs of legs: 18 pregenital leg pairs plus one last pair that is strongly reduced and without claws or spinous pads. Some individuals, however, have only 18 leg pairs. This species is limited to the Overberg region of South Africa.