| Peripatoides | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Onychophora |
| Family: | Peripatopsidae |
| Genus: | Peripatoides Pocock, 1894 |
| Species | |
See text | |
Peripatoides novaezealandiae is a species complex of velvet worms in the genus Peripatoides, found throughout New Zealand. Like all velvet worms, these animals are nocturnal predators that spit a sticky slime to trap their prey. Individuals of Peripatoidesnovaezealandiae-complex usually have 15 pairs of legs. [1]
The Peripatoides novaezealandiae species complex consists of at least five reproductively isolated species described in 1998, each of which has 15 pairs of legs. [2] These species (P. aurorbis, P. kawekaensis, P. novaezealandiae,P. morgani, and P. sympatrica) have no morphological characters that distinguish them although they are genetically differentiated. [3] [2] Peripatoides novaezealandiae and the cryptic species were mistakenly considered nomina dubia by de Sena Oliveira et al. (2012) [4] but when the holotype specimens records at Te Papa Tongarewa Museum were linked to the descriptions the species were recognised. [5] [6] [7] Three additional species in this genus were described in 2024. [8]
Peripatoidesnovaezealandiae-complex consists of the following species: [4] [8]
Peripatoides novaezealandiae-complex is endemic to New Zealand. [9]
Peripatoides novaezealandiae-complex is usually found within or beneath rotting logs, [10] [11] [12] though individuals have occasionally been discovered among leaf litter and beneath objects such as stones and rocks and in crevasses. [13] Sufficient moisture is vital for all Onychophora as they cannot regulate water loss due to a lack of both a waxy cuticle and tracheal spiracles. [14] [9] [15]
In 1989, several thousand of the P. otepoti were found on a property in Dunedin, living in an old kitchen dump among dry tins cans and sheets of roofing iron, and in a separate pile of bricks. [16] The existence of the P. otepoti in a wide range of elevations forest, scrub and tussock [8] , suggests that prey availability and moisture are more important than vegetation type when determining habitat suitability. [11]
This genus exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this genus produce and retain yolky eggs in their uteri. [17] The eggs are fertilized internally, and babies develop inside their mother until large enough to be born, in batches of 4–6, as colourless miniatures of the parents. [1] These live-bearing Peripatoides have dermal-haemocoelic sperm transfer – which means sperm dissolve holes in the skin of the female to enter the body (haemolymph) anywhere on the body wall of the female. [12]
Hutton [13] originally claimed that individuals of Peripatoides novaezealandiae are hermaphroditic, possibly due to confusion regarding sperm storage sacs found within the female. [15] This has since been contested, [11] and more recent literature clearly designates individuals of P. novaezealandiae-complex as male or female. [18] [12] Sex can be identified in some morphs as young as two months after birth, but sexual differentiation is complete for all members of the P. novaezealandiae-complex by five months. [18]
Juveniles go through three stages: [18]
Peripatids grow by moulting the outer cuticle when it becomes too restrictive.
Like others in their family, Peripatoides novaezealandiae-complex is a nocturnal predator. [13] [15]
Captive individuals of P. novaezealandiae-complex have been sustained with flies. [13] An abundance of centipedes, ants, mites, and amphipods have been found in logs that also contain P. novaezealandiae, suggesting a possible predator-prey relationship. [19]
Peripatids use their oral papillae to shoot out sticky slime which thickens upon contact with the air and covers prey in a strong, net-like structure. [13] [15] They approach and use their jaws to puncture the cuticle of the trapped animal, injecting digestive enzymes and sucking up the liquefied remains. [13] [15] [20]
Peripatoides novaezealandiae-complex is classed as ‘not threatened’ according to the 2018 New Zealand Threat Classification System. [21] In part, this is because the allozymatic species have not all been described and little is known about their distribution. [22]
Onychophora, including P. novaezealandiae-complex, are very difficult to rear in captivity. [19] A German study of P. novaezealandiae-complex had some success keeping specimens alive long enough to birth young. [18]
There is currently no known way to age individuals of P. novaezealandiae-complex, which makes it very difficult to compare individuals and fully understand their life history. [19]
The te reo Māori name for velvet worms is ngaokeoke which comes from the word ‘ngaoki’, to crawl. [23]
When considering a new roading project, the presence of P. otepoti in Caversham Valley gave the location high conservation value. [5] The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) worked with the Department of Conservation, Dunedin City Council and Otago University to translocate any Peripatus impacted by the project, along with ongoing monitoring, management, and habitat enhancement. [5] The discovery of ngaokeoke (P. novaezealandiae-complex) on their farm inspired Taranaki farming couple Damien and Jane Roper to form a partnership with the regional council to legally protect their 2.5 ha of native bush. [24]
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.
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.
Peripatoides indigo, the indigo velvet worm, is a velvet worm of the family Peripatopsidae. The Māori name for the velvet worm is ngaokeoke, from the Māori word 'ngaoki', to crawl.
Peripatoides suteri is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is ovoviviparous, has 16 pairs of legs, and is endemic to New Zealand. These velvet worms range in size from 14 mm to 90 mm.
Peripatopsis is a genus of South African velvet worms in the Peripatopsidae family. The number of legs in this genus ranges from as few as 16 pairs to as many as 25 pairs and varies within species when the number is greater than 18 pairs. Velvet worms in this genus feature a last pair of legs that is rudimentary or reduced in size, mainly in males. The feet in this genus feature three distal leg papillae: two anterior and one posterior.
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 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.
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.
Aethrikos is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm, containing the single species Aethrikos setosa. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. This species exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this species retain yolky eggs in their uteri. The type locality of this species is Styx River State Forest, New South Wales, Australia.
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.
Phallocephale is a monospecific genus of ovoviviparous velvet worm containing the single species Phallocephale tallagandensis. Males are distinguished by the presence of an eversible knoblike structure on the head, whereas females instead have a depression on their head. This species has 15 pairs of legs in both sexes. The type locality of this species is Tallaganda National Park, New South Wales, Australia. This species exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this species 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 is notable as the only one in which velvet worms have no more than 14 pairs of legs: Most species in this genus have 14 leg pairs, and O. nanus has only 13 pairs, the minimum number found in the phylum Onychophora. Velvet worms in this genus are also among the smallest known, with adults often only 10 to 20 millimeters long. Species in this genus have no modified head papillae, the males feature a cruciform genital opening (gonopore), and the females feature an ovipositor. This genus contains all oviparous velvet worm species with 13 or 14 leg pairs and no modified head structures.
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.
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.
Peripatoides kawekaensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is ovoviviparous and has 15 pairs of legs. The type locality is in New Zealand's North Island.
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 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.
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