Metaperipatus | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Onychophora |
Family: | Peripatopsidae |
Genus: | Metaperipatus Clark, 1913 |
Species: | M. inae |
Binomial name | |
Metaperipatus inae Mayer, 2007 | |
Metaperipatus is a genus of velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae that contains two species found in Chile, including Metaperipatus inae. [1] [2] [3] This genus was created by the American zoologist Austin Hobart Clark in 1913 to contain the type species, M. blainvillei. [4] Authorities believe M. blainvillei is a species complex, however, and some consider M. blainvillei a nomen dubium . [5] [3]
The velvet worm M. blainvillei was first described in 1837 by the French entomologist Paul Gervais. He named this species Venilia blainvillei after the French zooligist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville. [6] The precise type locality is unknown, however, and the type material has been lost, leading some authorities to deem M. blainvillei a nomen dubium. [3] [5]
The species M. inae was first described in 2007 by the German biologist Georg Mayer, who named this species after his wife, Ina Mayer, who found the first specimen. [2] Mayer based the original description of M. inae on specimens collected from rotting logs and under moss in a forest near Contulmo in Chile in 2004. [2] The holotype for M. inae is deposited in the Museo Zoológico de la Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile. [3]
Velvet worms in this genus have 19 to 22 pairs of legs, with the last pair clawed. [7] The last leg pair is greatly reduced, with legs only about half as long as the preceding pair. The last pair of legs are also directed posteriorly and not used in locomotion. The soles of the feet feature four pads, with the fourth pad fragmented and much narrower than the other pads. The nephridial tubercles on the fourth and fifth leg pairs are located in the middle of the third pad. [2] The feet feature three of four distal papillae, which can vary in their position. The gonopore is located between the last pair of legs. In the male, the gonopore is cruciform with four genital pads. [2] [8] The females lack an ovipositor but feature genital pads. [2] [7] [8] In both M. inae and M. blainvillei, the gonopore in the female is also cruciform. [2] [7]
The number of legs in M. inae is fixed by species but sexually dimorphic: Males have 20 pairs of legs, whereas females have 22 leg pairs. [2] The number of legs in M. blainvillei, however, varies within each sex: Males have 19 to 22 leg pairs, whereas females have 20 to 22 pairs. [9] Authors have assigned specimens to M. blainvillei from a wide area, and the unusual variation in leg number in specimens from different locations leads authorities to suspect that M. blainvillei is a species complex. [3] [5]
The species M. inae is a dark grayish blue in color, with large irregular orange/red spots consisting of numerous orange/red dermal papillae. M. blainvillei is also dark grayish blue, but speckled with single orange/red papillae that are scattered more evenly across the body. The species M. inae is also larger than M. blainvillei: When females of the species M. inae are walking, they can be as long as 85 mm, and males can be as long as 60 mm. [2] Specimens of M. blainvillei, however, reach a maximum length of 65 mm for females and 40 mm for males. [8] [9]
In adults of the species M. inae, the outer blade of the jaw features a large single tooth with one or two accessory teeth, and the inner blade features a large single tooth with seven to ten accessory teeth and no diastema. Juveniles begin with no accessory tooth on the outer blade and only five accessory teeth on the inner blade. [2] In M. blainvillei, the outer blade features only one delicate accessory tooth, and the inner blade features four to eight accessory teeth with no diastema. [8] [7]
Both M. inae and M. blainvillei reproduce using dermal insemination. Males of both species deposit spermatophores on the surface of the females' bodies. Authorities believe that dermal insemination allows sperm to bypass the embryos developing in the female genital tract that would otherwise obstruct their passage to the ovaries. [2]
Velvet worms in this genus exhibit matrotrophic viviparity, that is, mothers in this genus retain eggs in their uteri and supply nourishment to their embryos, but without any placenta. The embryos are surrounded by a vitelline envelope, but there is no chorion in this genus. Females of M. inae produce eggs with almost no yolk, and embryos develop large "trophic organs" or "trophic vesicles" that may function as means to absorb nourishment from the mother. [10] Embryos collected from females of this species feature huge translucent trophic vesicles that resemble those found in Peripatopsis sedgwicki and Paraperipatus novaebritanniae . [2]
Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the species in the Chilean genus Metaperipatus form a clade that is a sister group of the South African genus Peripatopsis . These two genera share a pair of unusual features setting them apart from other velvet worms: dermal insemination and embryos with trophic vesicles. [11] The evidence suggests that Metaperipatus and Peripatopsis diverged 141 million years ago, even before the southern Atlantic Ocean opened between South America and Africa 130 million years ago. [12]
The closely related genera Metaperipatus and Peripatopsis, in turn, form a clade that is a sister group of the other South African genus Opisthopatus . Thus, Metaperipatus is nested among the South African species in a phylogenetic tree, and the South African group is paraphyletic with respect to the Chilean genus Metaperipatus. [12] [11] [13] Together, these Chilean and South African genera form a West Gondwanan clade that is a sister group to the East Gondwanan clade containing other genera (found in Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, and New Guinea) in the family Peripatopsidae. [12]
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.
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.
Typhloperipatus is a genus of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae, containing the sole species Typhloperipatus williamsoni. This genus contains the only species in the phylum Onychophora found in South Asia. This species is also striking in that this velvet worm shows no external trace of eyes, although rudimentary optical vesicles are present internally. This species is also notable for featuring males with the minimum number of legs recorded in any velvet worm in the family Peripatidae.
Peripatidae is a family of velvet worms. This family includes more than 90 described species distributed among 13 genera, but some authorities deem only 80 of these species to be valid. 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. 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.
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:
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.
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 papuensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species is a pale greenish blue. Females of this species may have as few as 21 pairs of legs or as many as 29 pairs, exhibiting the greatest intraspecific variation in leg number found in any peripatopsid species. Males of this species range from 21 to 27 leg pairs. The maximum number of leg pairs recorded in this species (29) is also the maximum number of leg pairs found in the family Peripatopsidae. Females range from 22 mm to 83 mm in length, whereas males range from 19 mm to 45 mm. The type locality is in Western New Guinea, Indonesia.
Peripatopsis balfouri is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 18 pairs of clawed legs. Also known as the blue velvet worm, this species ranges from 9 mm to 22 mm in length. The type locality is in South Africa.
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.
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 lawrencei is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 18 pairs of legs: 17 pregenital leg pairs plus one last pair that is strongly reduced and without claws or spinous pads. This species is restricted to the Theewaterskloof-Overstrand region of 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 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.
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.
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.
Peripatopsis clavigera, the Knysna velvet worm, is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family. This species has 16 pairs of legs and ranges from 4 mm to 17 mm in length. Peripatopsis clavigera is found in subtropical or tropical moist montane forests of the Diepwalle Nature Reserve in South Africa.
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.
Peripatopsis mellaria is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae. This species is a clade in the P. clavigera species complex. This species has 17 pairs of legs, varies from slate black to charcoal, and ranges from 11 mm to 20 mm in length. Also known as the Outeniqua velvet worm, this species is found in forests along the coast in Western Cape province in South Africa.