Peripatidae

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Peripatidae
Temporal range: 100–0  Ma
Velvet worm (2002).jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Family: Peripatidae
Audouin & Milne-Edwards, 1832
Genera

See text

Onychophora global distribution map.jpg
Global range of Onychophora
  extant Peripatidae
   Peripatopsidae
  fossils

Peripatidae is a family of velvet worms. [1] 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. [2]

Contents

Description

The Peripatidae exhibit a range of derivative features. They are longer, on average, than the Peripatopsidae and also have more leg pairs. The number of legs in the Peripatidae varies within species as well as among species [3] and ranges from 19 pairs (in Typhloperipatus williamsoni [4] ) to 43 pairs (in Plicatoperipatus jamaicensis [5] ). [6] [7] The gonopore is always between the penultimate leg pair. [6] There are no known oviparous species—the overwhelming majority, including all the Neotropical Peripatidae, are viviparous with females that develop a placenta to provide the growing embryo with nutrients. [8] The Asian genera Typhloperipatus and Eoperipatus , however, exhibit lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, their females do not develop any placenta and instead retain yolky eggs in their uteri to supply nourishment. [8]

Distribution

The Peripatidae, also known as equatorial velvet worms, [9] are restricted to the tropical and subtropical zones; in particular, they inhabit Central America, the Caribbean, northern South America, Gabon, Northeast India, and Southeast Asia. [10]

Taxonomy

Neopatida

Neopatida is a monophyletic lineage within the Peripatidae, comprising all peripatids except the few found outside of the Americas. [11] The excluded peripatid genera are the southeast Asian † Cretoperipatus and Eoperipatus , the African Mesoperipatus , and the northeast Indian Typhloperipatus .

Genera

The family consists of the following genera:

Related Research Articles

<i>Peripatus</i> Genus of velvet worms

Peripatus is a genus of velvet worms in the Peripatidae family. The name "peripatus" is also used to refer to the Onychophora as a whole, although this group comprises many other genera besides Peripatus. The genus Peripatus is found in Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. Velvet worms in this genus may have as few as 24 or 25 pairs of legs or as many as 36 leg pairs. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

Mesoperipatus is a monospecific genus of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family, containing a single species Mesoperipatus tholloni. It is found in Gabon, making it the only known species of velvet worm in the tropics of Africa, and the only known species of peripatid velvet worm in Africa. Females of this species have 24 to 27 pairs of legs; males have 23 or 24. This species is viviparous, but too little is known of its embryology to describe its reproductive mode in any more detail; the presence of a placenta, for example, has not been confirmed.

<i>Typhloperipatus</i> Genus and species of velvet worm

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 trace of eyes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peripatopsidae</span> Family of invertebrate animals

Peripatopsidae is one of the two living velvet worm families.

<i>Epiperipatus</i> Genus of velvet worms

Epiperipatus is the most diverse genus of neotropical velvet worms in the family Peripatidae. Species in this genus are found in Central and South America. Velvet worms in this genus can have as few as 23 pairs of legs or as many as 39 leg pairs. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

Heteroperipatus is a genus of Central American velvet worms in the Peripatidae family. The number of legs in this genus varies within species as well as among species and ranges from 26 pairs to 32 pairs. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

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.

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.

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.

<i>Epiperipatus biolleyi</i> Species of velvet worm

Epiperipatus biolleyi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is red, without any pattern, on its dorsal surface. Females of this species have 28 to 32 pairs of legs; males have 25 to 30. Females range from 18 mm to 75 mm in length, with a mean length of 52 mm, whereas males range from 18 mm to 55 mm, with a mean length of 38 mm. The type locality is in Costa Rica.

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 torrealbai is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. This species is dark reddish brown without any pattern on its dorsal surface. The female of this species has 31 pairs of legs. The type locality is in Venezuela.

<i>Epiperipatus edwardsii</i> Species of velvet worm

Epiperipatus edwardsii is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. 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 hilkae is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is dark brown with a series of reddish brown hexagons down its back. Males of this species have 25 to 27 pairs of legs; females have 28 to 29. The type locality is in Costa Rica.

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. Like other neotropical peripatid velvet worms, this species is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta. The type locality is in Dominica.

Peripatus ruber is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species has 30 pairs of legs. The type locality is in Costa Rica.

Mongeperipatus solorzanoi, the Solórzano's velvet worm, is the largest known species of velvet worm and a member of the Peripatidae family. Like other Neotropical peripatid velvet worms, this species is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

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.

Mongeperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatidae from Costa Rica. The species in this genus are notable for their large size and for the degree of sexual dimorphism that they exhibit in the number of legs: females have 37 to 41 pairs, several more than the males, which have only 32 to 34 pairs. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

References

  1. ↑ Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Archived from the original on 2024-02-25. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  2. ↑ Murienne, J.; Daniels, S. R.; Buckley, T. R.; Mayer, G.; Giribet, G. (2013). "A living fossil tale of Pangaean biogeography". Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 281 (1775): 20132648. doi:10.1098/rspb.2013.2648. PMC   3866409 . PMID   24285200.
  3. ↑ Monge-Nájera, Julián (1994). "Reproductive trends, habitat type and body characteristcs in velvet worms (Onychophora)". Revista de Biología Tropical: 611–622. ISSN   2215-2075.
  4. ↑ Kemp, Stanley (1914). "Onychophora". Records of the Indian Museum. 8: 471–492. doi:10.5962/bhl.part.1194. S2CID   88237018 – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  5. ↑ Yang, Jie; Ortega-Hernández, Javier; Gerber, Sylvain; Butterfield, Nicholas J.; Hou, Jin-bo; Lan, Tian; Zhang, Xi-guang (2015-07-14). "A superarmored lobopodian from the Cambrian of China and early disparity in the evolution of Onychophora". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 112 (28): 8678–8683. Bibcode:2015PNAS..112.8678Y. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1505596112 . ISSN   0027-8424. PMC   4507230 . PMID   26124122 – via ResearchGate.
  6. 1 2 Giribet, Gonzalo; Edgecombe, Gregory D. (2020-03-03). 30. Onychophora. Princeton University Press. doi:10.1515/9780691197067-032. ISBN   978-0-691-19706-7. S2CID   240645062.
  7. ↑ Mayer, Georg (2007-04-05). "Metaperipatus inae sp. nov. (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from Chile with a novel ovarian type and dermal insemination". Zootaxa. 1440 (1): 21–37. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.1440.1.2. ISSN   1175-5334 – via ResearchGate.
  8. 1 2 Mayer, Georg; Franke, Franziska Anni; Treffkorn, Sandra; Gross, Vladimir; de Sena Oliveira, Ivo (2015), Wanninger, Andreas (ed.), "Onychophora", Evolutionary Developmental Biology of Invertebrates 3: Ecdysozoa I: Non-Tetraconata, Vienna: Springer, pp. 53–98, doi:10.1007/978-3-7091-1865-8_4, ISBN   978-3-7091-1865-8 , retrieved 2023-02-15
  9. ↑ "Equatorial Velvet Worms (Family Peripatidae)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-03-07.
  10. ↑ Oliveira, I. S.; Read, V. M. S. J.; Mayer, G. (2012). "A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names". ZooKeys (211): 1–70. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.211.3463 . PMC   3426840 . PMID   22930648.
  11. ↑ Costa, Cristiano Sampaio; Giribet, Gonzalo (2021-05-25). "Panamanian velvet worms in the genus Epiperipatus, with notes on their taxonomy and distribution and the description of a new species (Onychophora, Peripatidae)". Invertebrate Biology. 140 (3). doi:10.1111/ivb.12336. ISSN   1077-8306. S2CID   236359517.
  12. ↑ Barquero-González, Sánchez-Vargas, Morera (2020). "A new giant velvet worm from Costa Rica suggests absence of the genus Peripatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae) in Central America". Revista de Biología Tropical. 68: 300–320. doi: 10.15517/rbt.v68i1.37675 . S2CID   212697088.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)


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