''Peripatopsis'' is a genus of

velvet worms Onychophora (from , , "claws"; and , , "to carry"), commonly known as velvet worms (for their velvety texture and somewhat wormlike appearance) or more ambiguously as peripatus (after the first described genus, '' Peripatus''), is a phylum of e ...

in the

Peripatopsidae Peripatopsidae or the Southern Velvet Worms are one of two extant families of velvet worm. 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 Fre ...

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 Zoology, zoologist Reginald Innes Pocock, Reginald I. Pocock in 1894 with ''Peripatopsis capensis'' designated as the type species.

Description

The number of legs in this genus ranges from as few as 16 pairs (e.g., in ''Peripatopsis clavigera, P. clavigera'') to as many as 25 pairs (in ''Peripatopsis moseleyi, P. moseleyi'') and varies within species when the number is greater than 18 pairs. Velvet worms in this genus feature a last pair of legs (the genital pair) that is rudimentary or reduced in size, mainly in males. The feet in this genus feature three distal papillae: two anterior and one posterior. The gonopore in the male is cross-shaped but in the female takes the form of a longitudinal slit.

Reproduction

This genus exhibits Matrotrophy, matrotrophic viviparous, viviparity, that is, mothers in this genus retain eggs in their uteri and supply nourishment to their embryos, but without any placenta. Eggs are fertilized through dermal insemination. Males place Spermatophore, spermatophores on the skin of females, which allows the entry of sperm at the point of contact. Embryonic development in this genus takes 12 to 13 months, during which the mother contains up to 20 embryos, all at about the same stage of development. The young are born alive tail first, one or two at a time, all within a short period of time. The young resemble adults in form but are smaller.

Species

The genus ''Peripatopsis'' consists of the following species: * ''Peripatopsis aereus'' Daniels & Nieto Lawrence, 2024 * ''Peripatopsis alba'' Lawrence, 1931 — white cave velvet worm * ''Peripatopsis balfouri'' (Sedgwick, 1885) * ''Peripatopsis barnardi'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis birgeri'' Ruhberg & Daniels, 2013 * ''Peripatopsis bolandi'' Daniels et al., 2013 * ''Peripatopsis capensis'' (Grube, 1866) * ''Peripatopsis cederbergiensis'' Daniels et al., 2013 * ''Peripatopsis clavigera'' Purcell, 1899 — Knysna velvet worm * ''Peripatopsis collarium'' Barnes & Daniels, 2024 * ''Peripatopsis edenensis'' Barnes et al., 2020 * ''Peripatopsis fernkloofi'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis ferox'' Barnes et al., 2020 * ''Peripatopsis hamerae'' Ruhberg & Daniels, 2013 * ''Peripatopsis intermedia'' Hutchinson, 1928 * ''Peripatopsis janni'' Ruhberg & Daniels, 2013 * ''Peripatopsis jonkershoeki'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis kogelbergi'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis landroskoppie'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis lawrencei'' McDonald et al., 2012 * ''Peripatopsis leonina'' Purcell, 1899 — Lion's Hill velvet worm * ''Peripatopsis limietbergi'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis margaritarius'' Barnes & Daniels, 2024 * ''Peripatopsis mellaria'' Barnes et al., 2020 * ''Peripatopsis mira'' Barnes et al., 2020 * ''Peripatopsis moseleyi'' (Wood-Mason, 1879) * ''Peripatopsis orientalis'' Barnes & Daniels, 2024 * ''Peripatopsis overbergiensis'' McDonald et al., 2012 — Overberg velvet worm * ''Peripatopsis palmeri'' Daniels & Barnes, 2025 * ''Peripatopsis polychroma'' Grobler et al., 2023 * ''Peripatopsis purpureus'' Daniels et al., 2013 * ''Peripatopsis sedgwicki'' Purcell, 1899 — Tsitsikamma velvet worm * ''Peripatopsis storchi'' Ruhberg & Daniels, 2013 * ''Peripatopsis tulbaghensis'' Barnes et al., 2020

References

Endemic fauna of South Africa Onychophorans of temperate Africa Onychophoran genera Taxa named by R. I. Pocock Taxonomy articles created by Polbot {{Onychophora-stub