Peripatoides suteri

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Peripatoides suteri
Peripatoides suteri 333058078.jpg
Peripatoides suteri found on Mount Taranaki, New Zealand
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Family: Peripatopsidae
Genus: Peripatoides
Species:
P. suteri
Binomial name
Peripatoides suteri
(Dendy, 1894)

Peripatoides suteri is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. [2] Like all other species in the genus Peripatoides , this species is ovoviviparous and endemic to New Zealand. [3] [4] [5] This species is notable for featuring 16 pairs of legs, unlike all other species of Peripatoides, which have only 15 leg pairs. [6] This species has more legs than any other species of velvet worm found in New Zealand. [7]

Contents

Discovery and taxonomy

This velvet worm was first described in 1894 by the English zoologist Arthur Dendy. He based the original description of this velvet worm on three specimens collected from Stratford on the North Island of New Zealand. He originally described this velvet worm under the name Peripatus novæ-zealandiæ var. suteri, as a variety of Peripatus novæ-zealandiæ with 16 leg pairs, unlike the usual variety with 15 leg pairs. [8] He did not designate any type material explicitly. [6] In 1900, he referred to this velvet worm as a separate species under the name Peripatus suteri. [9] In 1901, the French zoologist Eugène Louis Bouvier placed this species in the genus Peripatoides instead of the genus Peripatus . [10]

Distribution

This species was once thought to have a narrow distribution near the type locality in the Taranaki region on the west coast of the North Island of New Zealand. [5] Specimens assigned to this species, however, have since been found elsewhere on the North Island. Specimens have been found not only around Lake Rotokare and Dawson Falls in the Taranaki region but also as far east as Whakapapa Village and the Central Plateau and as far north as the Coromandel Peninsula and the Waitākere Ranges. [4] [11] [12] Some specimens have been collected as far as 276 km away from the type locality. [13]

Phylogeny

A phylogenetic analysis of the genus Peripatoides based on molecular data places all specimens of P. suteri collected from several sites throughout its range in a single clade distinct from all the other clades representing other species in a phylogenetic tree. This analysis also identifies the species P. indigo as the closest relative of P. suteri. The species P. indigo is found on the northwest corner of the South Island of New Zealand. [12]

Description

The species P. suteri ranges from 14 mm to 90 mm in length, [7] but the average specimen measures 33 mm in length. [6] The dorsal surface is dark blue densely covered with an irregular arrangement of orange brown papillae. The antennae are dark blue. The lateral and ventral surfaces of the legs as well as the ventral surface of the body are grey. [5] The genital opening is blue-grey. [6]

This species features 16 pairs of legs with three or four spinous pads and four (rarely three) distal papillae on each foot. [4] [6] The nephridial tubercle on the fourth and fifth leg pairs is located on the third spinous pad. [5] This tubercle completely divides this pad on the fifth leg pair and partially (rarely completely) divides this pad on the fourth leg pair. Each antenna features 27 to 32 rings, counting from the first complete ring by the eye. The dorsal papillae behind the final pair of legs feature six to ten rows of scales, with six as the most common number, counting from the base to the apex of each papilla. [6]

This species shares many traits with other species in the genus Peripatoides, such as the location of the nephridial tubercle on the fourth and fifth leg pairs. [5] This species can be distinguished from all other species in this genus, however, based on the number of legs: Whereas P. suteri features 16 leg pairs, all other species in this genus have only 15 leg pairs. Furthermore, P. suteri usually features four distal foot papillae, whereas its closest relative P. indigo features five, and all other species in this genus usually feature only three. [6] [4]

Conservation

This species is listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List. [1]

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. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

<i>Peripatoides indigo</i> Species of velvet worm

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.

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

Peripatoides is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. Velvet worms in this genus are found throughout New Zealand. Like all velvet worms, these animals are nocturnal predators that spit a sticky slime to trap their prey. Unlike the species in the only other genus of velvet worms found in New Zealand, Ooperipatellus, which lay eggs, the species in the genus Peripatoides are live-bearing (ovoviviparous).

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

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.

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

Oroperipatus is a genus of Neotropical velvet worms in the family Peripatidae. Species in this genus are found in South America west of the Andes and in Mexico. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.

<i>Peripatoides novaezealandiae</i> Species of velvet worms

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.

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

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.

Paraperipatus is a genus of velvet worms 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 the surrounding islands, including the Maluku achipelago.

Eoperipatus horsti is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. Authorities have designated this velvet worm as the type species for the genus Eoperipatus, because among the species originally included in this genus, this species is the only one known from descriptions of both sexes. This species is found in Malaysia.

Epiperipatus cratensis is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. This species is found in northeastern Brazil. This velvet worm is notable as a small species of Epiperipatus with many legs.

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.

Oroperipatus lankesteri is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This velvet worm is notable for its large size, reaching 82 mm in length. This species is known only from its type locality in the northern Pacific lowlands of Ecuador.

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 pairs. This velvet worm is found in Peru.

Peripatus dominicae is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. The type locality for this species is on the Caribbean island of Dominica. Although the Canadian zoologist Stewart Peck introduced the name Peripatus dominicae dominicae in 1975 to distinguish the original species from other subspecies then assigned to P. dominicae, authorities now deem these subspecies to be separate species in light of the significant distances between their type localities.

<i>Peripatus juanensis</i> Species of velvet worm

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.

<i>Ooperipatellus nanus</i> Species of velvet worm

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.

Paraperipatus keiensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. Females of this species have 24 or 25 pairs of legs; males have 22 or 23 leg pairs. The type locality is in Kai Besar in Indonesia.

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 using molecular data finds that Peripatopsis sedgwicki as traditionally understood based on morphology is a species complex that contains four different species: P. sedgwicki s.s., P. orientalis, P. collarium, and P. margaritarius.

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.

References

  1. 1 2 New, T.R. (1996). "Peripatoides suteri". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 1996: e.T16617A6186515. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T16617A6186515.en . Retrieved 14 November 2021.
  2. ↑ Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Trewick, S. A. (2000). "Mitochondrial DNA sequences support allozyme evidence for cryptic radiation of New Zealand Peripatoides (Onychophora)". Molecular Ecology. 9 (3): 269–281 [270]. doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.00873.x. ISSN   0962-1083. PMID   10736025. S2CID   8637591.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Tait, N.N.; Briscoe, D.A. (1995-05-01). "Genetic differentiation within New Zealand Onychophora and their relationships to the Australian fauna". Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society. 114 (1): 103–113 [104–107]. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1995.tb00115.x. ISSN   0024-4082.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 Ruhberg, Hilke (1985). Die Peripatopsidae (Onychophora) : Systematik, Ökologie, Chorologie und phylogenetische Aspekte (in German). Stuttgart: E. Schweizerbart. pp. 135, 141–142. ISBN   3-510-55023-4. OCLC   14872354.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Trewick, Steven A.; Koot, Emily M.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2024). "Ngāokeoke Aotearoa: The Peripatoides Onychophora of New Zealand". Insects (journal) . 15 (4): 248. doi: 10.3390/insects15040248 . ISSN   2075-4450. PMC   11050097 . PMID   38667378.
  7. 1 2 Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research. "Peripatus (Onchyphora)".
  8. ↑ Dendy, A. (1894). "Additions to the cryptozoic fauna of New Zealand". Annals and Magazine of Natural History. 6 (14): 393–401 [401] – via Biodiversity Heritage Library.
  9. ↑ Dendy, Arthur (1900). "A New Peripatus from New Zealand". Nature. 61 (1584): 444. doi:10.1038/061444a0. ISSN   1476-4687.
  10. ↑ Bouvier, E.-L.; Bouvier, E.-L. (1901). "Caractères et affinités d'un Onychophore du Chili le Peripatopsis blainvillei Blanchard". Zoologischer Anzeiger (in French). 24: 59–61 [60].
  11. ↑ Trewick, Steven A. (March 1998). "Sympatric cryptic species in New Zealand Onychophora". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 63 (3): 307–329 [309–311]. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.1998.tb01520.x .
  12. 1 2 Trewick, Steven A.; Koot, Emily M.; Morgan-Richards, Mary (2024). "Ngāokeoke Aotearoa: The Peripatoides Onychophora of New Zealand". Insects. 15 (4): 248 [12-14]. doi: 10.3390/insects15040248 . ISSN   2075-4450. PMC   11050097 . PMID   38667378.
  13. ↑ Oliveira, Ivo de Sena (2023-11-16). "An updated world checklist of velvet worms (Onychophora) with notes on nomenclature and status of names". ZooKeys. 1184: 133–260 [220]. doi: 10.3897/zookeys.1184.107286 . ISSN   1313-2970. PMC   10680090 . PMID   38023768.
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