Peripatopsis purpureus

Last updated

Peripatopsis purpureus
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Family: Peripatopsidae
Genus: Peripatopsis
Species:
P. purpureus
Binomial name
Peripatopsis purpureus
Daniels et al., 2013

Peripatopsis purpureus is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. [1] This species is a clade in the P. balfouri species complex. Males of this species have 17 clawed legs with the last pair highly reduced, whereas females have a complete foot with claws on the reduced leg. Named for its purple-blue color, this species is found in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. [2] This species ranges between 13 mm to 26 mm in length. [3]

References

  1. Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  2. Daniels, Savel R.; McDonald, Dane E.; Picker, Mike D. (2013). "Evolutionary insight into the Peripatopsis balfouri sensu lato species complex (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) reveals novel lineages and zoogeographic patterning" . Zoologica Scripta. 42 (6): 656–674. doi:10.1111/zsc.12025. ISSN   0300-3256. S2CID   83758118.
  3. Daniels, Savel R.; Barnes, Aaron (2025). "Perched on the Plateau: Speciation in a Cape Fold Mountain Velvet Worm Clade, With the Description of Seven New Species (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae: Peripatopsis) From South Africa". Ecology and Evolution. 15 (4): e71256. doi:10.1002/ece3.71256. ISSN   2045-7758. PMC   12009755 .