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.
Macroperipatus is a genus of Neotropical velvet worms in the Peripatidae family. Velvet worms in this genus can have as few as 24 pairs of legs or as many as 42 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.
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.
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.
Eoperipatus totoro is a species of velvet worm of the family Peripatidae discovered in Vietnam in 2007. As of 2013, it is the only velvet worm known from Vietnam. The specific name is derived from caterpillar-like Catbus from the Japanese animated film My Neighbor Totoro. It has a distinct feature from other worms in having uniquely shaped hairs on its body surface. Its ability to spit out nets of sticky glue from its appendages is used for catching prey. Like other velvet worms in this genus, this species exhibits lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, mothers in this genus retain yolky eggs in their uteri.
Cerradopatus is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Cerradopatus sucuriuensis. Males of this species have 28 or 29 pairs of legs; females have 30 to 32. This species is native to the Brazilian savannah. This species is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.
Paropisthopatus is a monospecific genus of velvet worm containing the single species Paropisthopatus umbrinus. Females of this species range from 20 mm to 70 mm in length. The type locality is in central Chile. Velvet worms in this genus have 16 pairs of legs. 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.
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 imthurni is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae. This species ranges from light orange or yellowish brown to a dark brown on its dorsal surface; the ventral surface is a lighter orangeish shade of the same color. The type locality is in Guyana. No males have been recorded from this species. Females can reach a large size, up to 2.25 g in weight, and range from 25 mm up to 96 mm in length. They have 29 to 32 pairs of legs, usually 30 or 31. Females from Trinidad were shown to reproduce via parthenogenesis; the only velvet worm known to do so.
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.
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 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 evansi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is a purplish dark brown with a series of bright triangles on each side forming a series of diamonds down its back. Females of this species have 28 pairs of legs and range from 32 mm to 58 mm in length. The type locality is in Guyana.
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.
Oroperipatus lankesteri is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family. This species is brownish grey and is notable for its large size, which ranges from 32 mm up to 82 mm in length. Females of this species have 37 or 38 pairs of legs; males have 33 to 35 pairs. 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 Ecuador.
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.
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.
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.
