Paraperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. The number of legs vary within 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 is also the maximum number of leg pairs found in the family Peripatopsidae. Species in this genus are found in New Guinea and Maluku, Indonesia.
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.
Eoperipatus weldoni is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This velvet worm is dark brown with pale spots and a darker line running down the middle of its back. The ventral surface is yellowish grey with small spots of brown. This species has 23 to 25 pairs of legs and can reach 65 mm in length, but the average specimen is 58 mm in length. The type locality is in West Malaysia.
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.
Oroperipatus bluntschli is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. The original description of this species is based on a female specimen measuring 100 mm in length; its 40 pairs of legs are notable for approaching the maximum number (43) recorded in velvet worms. The type locality is in Peru.
Oroperipatus ecuadoriensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. The original description of this species is based on a female specimen notable for its large size ; this description also reports 39 pairs of legs. The type locality is in Ecuador.
Oroperipatus eisenii is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. Females of this species have 27 to 29 pairs of legs, usually 28; males have 23 to 26. Females range from 30 mm to 57 mm in length, while males range from 20 mm to 23 mm. The type locality is found in central Mexico.
Oroperipatus peruvianus is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Males of this species have 34 pairs of legs; females have 36 or 37. Female specimens range from 55 mm to 61 mm in length. The type locality is in Peru.
Peripatus brolemanni is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Females of this species have 30 to 33 pairs of legs; males have 29. Females range from 39 mm to 65 mm in length, whereas males range from 27 mm to 28 mm. The type locality is in Venezuela.
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 original description of preserved specimens report that this species is usually reddish brown with a diffuse darker streak down the middle of the back, with a much paler "light grey or greyish yellow" ventral surface. The type locality is in Dominica.
Peripatus juanensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family discovered in Puerto Rico in 1900. As of 2018, it is the only velvet worm found in Puerto Rico. Females of this species have 31 or 32 pairs of legs; males have 27.
Peripatus sedgwicki is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Females of this species have 29 to 32 pairs of legs; males have 28 to 30. Females range from 25 mm to 60 mm in length, while males range from 23 mm to 30 mm. The type locality is in Venezuela.
Paraperipatus keiensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is blackish with brownish 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 novaebritanniae is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is blackish with brownish spots. Females of this species have 23 or 24 pairs of legs; males have 22 or 23. Females range from 14 mm to 55 mm in length, whereas males range from 14 mm to 26 mm. The type locality is in New Britain, Papua New Guinea.
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 have 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 greenish blue. The male of this species has 21 pairs of legs; females have 22 to 28 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.
Paraperipatus vanheurni is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species ranges from pale blue to dark purple in color. Females of this species have 25 to 27 pairs of legs; males have 21 or 22. This species ranges from 15 mm to 60 mm in length. The type locality is in Western New Guinea, Indonesia.
John Crampton Wilkinson Kershaw was a British explorer, naturalist and entomologist who explored and collected in South China and Australia. He was among the first entomologists to successfully rear tachinid parasitoids in quantity for use in biological control.
