(Peripatidae)

Equatorial Velvet Worms

Перипатусові

Peripatidae is a family of velvet worms. This family includes more than 90 described species distributed among 13 genera.

The Peripatidae exhibit a range of derivative features. They are longer, on average, than the Peripatopsidae and also have more leg pairs. The number of legs in the Peripatidae varies within species as well as among species and ranges from 19 pairs (in Typhloperipatus williamsoni) to 43 pairs (in Plicatoperipatus jamaicensis). The gonopore is always between the penultimate leg pair. There are no known oviparous species—the overwhelming majority, including all the Neotropical Peripatidae, are viviparous with females that develop a placenta to provide the growing embryo with nutrients. The Asian genera Typhloperipatus and Eoperipatus, however, exhibit lecithotrophic ovoviviparity; that is, their females do not develop any placenta and instead retain yolky eggs in their uteri to supply nourishment.

They lead a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. Feed on small insects, which they hunt by squirting a sticky liquid that hardens in the air. After that, the peripatus gnaws a hole in the exoskeleton of the victim, injects digestive enzymes into it and after a while sucks out the digested entrails of the prey.

(Epiperipatus biolleyi)

Body length: 18–75 mm.

The number of legs: 25–32 pairs.

The type locality is in Costa Rica.

(Epiperipatus broadwayi)

The number of legs: 29–34 pairs.

The type locality is in Tobago.

(Epiperipatus edwardsii)

Edward's Velvet Worm

Оніхофора Едвардса

Body length: 23–56 mm.

The number of legs: 28–34 pairs.

The type locality is in French Guiana.

(Epiperipatus isthmicola)

Body length: 20–73 mm.

The number of legs: 26–32 pairs.

The type locality is in Costa Rica.

(Epiperipatus trinidadensis)

Trinidad Velvet Worm

Тринідадська оніхофора

The number of legs: 27–31 pairs.

The type locality is in Trinidad.

(Epiperipatus adenocryptus)

The number of legs: 26–30 pairs.

The type locality is in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

(Epiperipatus acacioi)

Body length: 13–47 mm.

The number of legs: 24–30 pairs.

The type locality is in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

(Epiperipatus barbadensis)

Body length: 75–90 mm.

The number of legs: 31 pairs.

Is endemic to Barbados.

The genus (Epiperipatus) also includes: Epiperipatus vagans, Epiperipatus torrealbai, Epiperipatus machadoi, Epiperipatus paurognostus, Epiperipatus betheli, Epiperipatus barbouri, Epiperipatus brasiliensis, Epiperipatus cratensis, Epiperipatus diadenoproctus, Epiperipatus evansi, Epiperipatus hilkae, Epiperipatus imthurmi, Epiperipatus lewisi, Epiperipatus simoni, Epiperipatus vespucci.

(Macroperipatus acacioi)

Body length: 13–47 mm.

The number of legs: 24–30 pairs.

The type locality is in Minas Gerais, Brazil.

(Macroperipatus torquatus)

Body length: 100–150 mm.

The number of legs: 37–42 pairs.

Weight: 1.75 – 5.68 g.

This species is found in Trinidad.

(Macroperipatus insularis)

Body length is about 55 mm.

The number of legs: 30 pairs.

It is found in Jamaica, and Hispaniola (the Dominican Republic and Haiti).

The genus (Macroperipatus) also includes: Macroperipatus geayi, Macroperipatus guianensis, Macroperipatus ohausi, Macroperipatus perrieri, Macroperipatus valerioi.

(Oroperipatus eiseni)

Body length: 20–57 mm.

The number of legs: 23–29 pairs.

The type locality is found in Brazil and central Mexico.

(Oroperipatus ecuadoriensis)

Body length is about 67 mm.

The number of legs: 39 pairs.

The type locality is in Ecuador.

(Oroperipatus quitensis)

The type locality is in Ecuador.

The genus (Oroperipatus) also includes: Oroperipatus balzani, Oroperipatus belli, Oroperipatus bimbergi, Oroperipatus bluntschli, Oroperipatus cameranoi, Oroperipatus corradoi, Oroperipatus goudoti, Oroperipatus intermedius, Oroperipatus koepckei, Oroperipatus lankesteri, Oroperipatus omeyrus, Oroperipatus peruanus, Oroperipatus peruvianus, Oroperipatus soratanus, Oroperipatus tuberculatus, Oroperipatus weyrauchi.

(Peripatus dominicae)

Dominican Velvet Worm

Домініканська оніхофора

Body length: 17–56 mm.

The number of legs: 25–31 pairs.

The type locality is on the Caribbean island of Dominica.

(Peripatus heloisae)

The number of legs: 28–34 pairs.

The type locality is in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

(Peripatus juanensis)

The number of legs: 27–32 pairs.

It is found in Puerto Rico.

(Peripatus juliformis)

Body length: 14–75 mm.

The number of legs: 29–34 pairs.

The type locality is on Saint Vincent Island.

The genus (Peripatus) also includes: Peripatus antiguensis, Peripatus bavaysi, Peripatus bouvieri, Peripatus brolemanni, Peripatus evelinae, Peripatus manni, Peripatus ruber, Peripatus sedgwicki, Peripatus swainsonae.

(Speleoperipatus spelaeus)

Body length: 27–34 mm.

The number of legs: 22–23 pairs.

Known only from two cave systems in northern St. Catherine, Jamaica; Pedro Great Cave and Swansea Cave.

(Eoperipatus totoro)

Body length up to 66 mm.

The number of legs: 23–24 pairs.

It is found in Vietnam. It spends most of their lives inside moist soil, in rotting logs, or under rocks.

(Eoperipatus sumatranus)

It is distributed on the Malay Peninsula and on the island of Borneo, north of its range it reaches Burma. It inhabits primary tropical forests. It stays among fallen leaves and rotten wood.

The genus (Eoperipatus) also includes: Eoperipatus horsti, Eoperipatus butleri, Eoperipatus weldoni.