Peripatopsis aereus

Last updated

Peripatopsis aereus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Family: Peripatopsidae
Genus: Peripatopsis
Species:
P. aereus
Binomial name
Peripatopsis aereus
Daniels & Nieto Lawrence, 2024

Peripatopsis aereus is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. [1] This species is known only from the Riviersonderend Mountains in South Africa. This velvet worm was discovered living in sympatry with another species in the same genus, P. lawrencei . These two sympatric species can be distinguished based on the number of legs: The species P. aereus has 18 pairs of legs, whereas the species P. lawrencei has only 17 leg pairs. [2]

Contents

Discovery

In 2009, a phylogenetic analysis of the genus Peripatopsis using molecular data first identified this velvet worm as a distinct lineage in a phylogenetic tree based on a single specimen. [3] [2] This species was first described in 2024 by the zoologists Julian A. Nieto Lawrence and Savel R. Daniels. They based the original description of this species on two specimens, a holotype and a paratype, both collected in 2022 in Oubos, near the site where the first specimen was found in the Riviersonderend Mountains in Western Cape province in South Africa. These specimens were found inside or under decaying logs or leaf litter in a patch of Afromontane forest. The type specimens are deposited in the South African Museum of Cape Town. [2]

Description

The size of the specimens ranges from 34 mm in length (in the paratype) to 38 mm in length (in the holotype). All three specimens feature 18 pairs of legs, with the last pair reduced in size. Each leg features two claws, including the last pair of legs. [2]

The dorsal surface is dark brown, and the ventral surface is golden brown. Each surface features a consistent color, with no lines or variations in color visible. The species name is the Latin word for bronze, alluding to the bronze-like ventral surface of this velvet worm. The integument of this species features primary dermal papillae that are densely packed, with deep ridges between papillae structures. The dermal papillae are conical, with fifteen scale ranks on the dorsal primary papillae and nine scale ranks on the ventral primary papillae. [2]

This velvet worm exhibits traits shared with other species of Peripatopsis, such as the reduced size of the last leg pair. [4] The species P. aereus shares more traits with the sympatric species P. lawrencei. For example, both species feature two claws on each foot, including the feet on the last leg pair. [2]

Several other traits, however, distinguish P. aereus from P. lawrencei. For example, the species P. lawrencei always has 17 pairs of legs, whereas P. aereus has 18 leg pairs. Furthermore, the species P. lawrencei features only seven scale ranks on the dorsal papillae and only four on the ventral papillae, markedly fewer than observed in P. aereus, which features fifteen on the dorsal papillae and nine on the ventral papillae. Moreover, the ventral surface of P. lawrencei is usually cream white but is sometimes pale orange or yellow. Thus, the consistent golden brown of the ventral surface of P. aereus also distinguishes this species from P. lawrencei. [2]

Phylogeny

The molecular evidence places P. aereus on a branch in a phylogenetic tree with a sister group that includes the three species P. capensis , P. sedgwicki , and P. moseleyi , each in a separate clade corresponding to an associated species complex within this sister group. [2] The sympatric species P. lawrencei, for example, appears in the clade corresponding to the P. capensis species complex. [5] The molecular data suggest a relatively ancient origin of P. aereus, with this lineage diverging from its sister group an estimated 13.68 million years ago, in the Miocene epoch. [2]

Related Research Articles

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. Velvet worms in this genus are found in South Africa, in the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga provinces, as well as in Lesotho and Eswatini. This genus was first proposed in 1899 by the zoologist William F. Purcell to contain the newly discovered species O. cinctipes, which he designated as the type species.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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 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 birgeri is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is a clade in the P. moseleyi species complex. The number of legs in this species varies from 21 pregenital pairs to 22 pregenital pairs. Live animals are light green, brown, or black with a distinct pale head collar; the ventral surface is creamy white. Males range from 23 mm to 40 mm in length; females range from 28 mm to 40 mm in length. Also known as the Mount Currie velvet worm, this species is known only from the Mount Currie Nature Reserve in South Africa.

<i>Peripatopsis capensis</i> Species of velvet worm

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 janni 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 male specimens ranging from 15 mm to 30 mm in length. Live animals are dark green on the dorsal surface but greyish white on the ventral surface. The number of legs in males of this species varies from 21 pregenital pairs to 22 pregenital pairs. Also known as the Amathole velvet worm, this species is found in the Amathole mountains in South Africa.

<i>Peripatopsis lawrencei</i> Species of velvet worm

Peripatopsis lawrencei is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 17 pairs of legs, with the last pair reduced in size but featuring two claws on each leg. This species is restricted to the Theewaterskloof-Overstrand region of South Africa.

<i>Peripatopsis moseleyi</i> Species of velvet worm

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 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.

Peripatopsis storchi is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is a clade in the P. moseleyi species complex. The number of legs in this species ranges from 21 pregenital pairs to 23 pregenital pairs. Males of this species range from 12 mm to 22 mm in length, and females range from 22 mm to 36 mm in length, but live animals can stretch to 50 mm while walking. Also known as the Katberg velvet worm, this species is known only from the Katberg forest in South Africa.

<i>Peripatopsis alba</i> Species of velvet worm

Peripatopsis alba, the white cave velvet worm, is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is notable as one of only two species of velvet worm known to be troglobitic; the only other velvet worm known to be a troglobiont is Speleoperipatus spelaeus. The white cave velvet worm is rare and limited to one cave system on Table Mountain in South Africa.

Opisthopatus camdebooi is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. Also known as the Camdeboo velvet worm, this species is endemic to the Camdeboo National Park in South Africa. This species is notable for adapting to an unlikely environment for the survival of velvet worms. This species was found in soil 30 cm beneath the surface in the Valley of Desolation in Camdeboo National Park in the Great Karoo, an arid region devoid of forests. Over millions of years, this velvet worm apparently adapted to an increasingly arid Karoo basin by taking refuge at higher altitudes and adopting a mode of life underground but near the surface. This species is the first velvet worm discovered in South Africa with such a near-surface mode of life.

Peripatopsis collarium is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This velvet worm is a point endemic known only from a small sample found in the Van Stadens Wild Flower Reserve in South Africa. The species name of P. collarium refers to a distinctive white head collar present in all specimens of this velvet worm. This species was discovered as a clade within the Peripatopsis sedgwicki species complex.

Peripatopsis orientalis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species was discovered as one of four clades within the Peripatopsis sedgwicki species complex. Each clade represents a separate species, each with a different geographic distribution in South Africa. The species P. orientalis has the broadest distribution among the four species in this species complex. The specific name refers to the relatively eastern distribution of this species within this species complex.

Peripatopsis margaritarius is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This velvet worm is a point endemic found only in the Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve in South Africa. This species was discovered as a clade within the Peripatopsis sedgwicki species complex. This velvet worm can have from 21 to 23 pairs of legs, unlike the other three species in the P. sedgwicki species complex, which have only 19 or 20 leg pairs.

References

  1. ↑ Oliveira, I. S.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 October 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lawrence, Julian A. Nieto; Daniels, Savel R. (2024-02-07). "Sample design in biodiversity studies matters: a fine-scale study of Lawrence's velvet worm, Peripatopsis lawrencei (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae), reveals hidden diversity". Invertebrate Systematics. 38 (2): 1–5, 8, 13–14, 17–19. doi:10.1071/IS23051. ISSN   1447-2600. PMID   38744496.
  3. ↑ Daniels, Savel R.; Picker, Mike D.; Cowlin, Ross M.; Hamer, Michelle L. (2009-05-01). "Unravelling evolutionary lineages among South African velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatopsis) provides evidence for widespread cryptic speciation". Biological Journal of the Linnean Society. 97 (1): 200–216 [207]. doi: 10.1111/j.1095-8312.2009.01205.x . ISSN   0024-4066.
  4. ↑ Ruhberg, Hilke; Daniels, Savel R. (2013-05-24). "Morphological assessment supports the recognition of four novel species in the widely distributed velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi sensu lato (Onychophora : Peripatopsidae)". Invertebrate Systematics. 27 (2): 131–145 [134]. doi:10.1071/IS12069. ISSN   1447-2600.
  5. ↑ McDonald, Dane E.; Ruhberg, Hilke; Daniels, Savel R. (2012-07-05). "Two new Peripatopsis species (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from the Western Cape province, South Africa". Zootaxa. 3380 (1): 55–68. doi:10.11646/zootaxa.3380.1.4. ISSN   1175-5334.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.