Peripatopsis moseleyi explained

Peripatopsis moseleyi is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family.^[1] Males of this species (as traditionally defined) have 20 to 24 pairs of legs with claws (plus one pair without claws);^[2] females have 19 to 23 pairs of legs with claws (plus one pair without claws).^[3] Females range from 11 mm to 75 mm in length, whereas males range from 9 mm to 50 mm.^[4] The type locality is in South Africa.^[5]

More recent phylogenetic results indicate that this species as traditionally defined is instead a species complex (P. moseleyi sensu lato) containing five genetically distinct clades, now described as separate species: P. birgeri, P. hamerae, P. janni, P. stortchi, and P. moseleyi sensu stricto. Males of this species more narrowly defined (P. moseleyi sensu stricto) have 22 to 24 pregenital pairs of legs (plus one genital pair); females have 23 pregenital pairs (plus one genital pair). Female specimens range from 42 mm to 60 mm in length; males range from 22 mm to 40 mm in length.^[6]

Further reading

• Bursell. E.. Ewer. D. W.. On the reactions to humidity of Peripatopsis moseleyi (Wood-Mason). Journal of Experimental Biology. 1950. 26. 4. 335–353 . 10.1242/jeb.26.4.335. 1950JExpB..26..335B .
• Daniels. S. R.. Ruhberg. H.. Molecular and morphological variation in a South African velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): evidence for cryptic speciation. Journal of Zoology. 2010. 282. 3. 171–179. 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00722.x .
• Gardner. C. R.. Robson. E. A.. Respons to mono-amines in Peripatopsis moseley (Onychophora). Experientia. 1978. 34. 12. 1576–1577. 10.1007/BF02034682 . 729717. 42617433.
• Heffron. J. J. A.. Hepburn. H. R.. Zwl. L. J.. Enzymatic activities of smooth body-wall muscle of onychophoran Peripatopsis moseley. Biochemical Society Transactions. 1977. 5. 6. 1748–1750. 10.1042/bst0051748. 145978.
• Hepburn. H. R.. Heffron. J. J. A.. Skeletal collagen of an onychophoran, Peripatopsis moseleyi. Cytobiologie. 1976. 12. 3. 481–486 .
• Robson. E. A.. Cuticle of Peripatopsis moseleyi. Quarterly Journal of Microscopical Science. 1964. 105. 3. 281 .
• Roper. H.. Analytische Untersuchungen des Wehrsekretes von Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora) . Analytical investigations of defensive secretion from Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora). Zeitschrift für Naturforschung C . 1977 . 32 . 1–2 . 57–60 . 10.1515/znc-1977-1-208 . 85766026. free .
• Ruhberg. H.. Daniels. S. R.. Morphological assessment supports the recognition of four novel species in the widely distributed velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi sensu lato (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae). Invertebrate Systematics. 2013. 27. 2. 131–145. 10.1071/IS12069 . 86036034.
• Ruhberg. H.. Storch. V.. Ultrastructure of male genital-tract, spermiogenesis, and spermatozoa of Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora). Zoomorphologie. 1976. 85. 1. 1–15. 10.1007/BF00996061 . 23499989 .
• Ruhberg. H.. Storch. V.. Slime glands and their secretary product of Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora) - electron microscopical investigations and live observations. Zoologischer Anzeiger . 1977. 198. 1–2. 9–19 .
• Storch. V.. Alberti. G.. Ruhberg. H.. Light and electron microscopical investigations of the salivary glands of Opisthopatus cinctipes and Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae). Zoologischer Anzeiger . 1979. 203. 1–2. 35–47 .
• Storch. V.. Ruhberg. H.. Fine-structure of sensilla of Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora) . Cell and Tissue Research . 1977 . 177 . 4 . 539–553 . 10.1007/bf00220613. 837420. 24130563.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Oliveira I. S. . Hering L. . Mayer, G.. Updated Onychophora checklist . Onychophora Website . 24 November 2016.
2. Daniels . S. R. . Ruhberg . H. . 2010 . Molecular and morphological variation in a South African velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): evidence for cryptic speciation . Journal of Zoology . en . 282 . 3 . 171–179 . 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00722.x . 0952-8369.
3. Hamer . M.L. . Samways . M.J. . Ruhberg . H. . 1997 . A review of the Onychophora of South Africa, with discussion of their conservation . Annals of the Natal Museum . 38 . 1 . 283–312.
4. Monge-Nájera . Julián . 1994 . Reproductive trends, habitat type and body characteristcs in velvet worms (Onychophora) . Revista de Biología Tropical . 42 . 3 . en . 611–622 . 2215-2075.
5. Oliveira. I. S.. Read. V. M. S. J.. Mayer. G.. A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names . ZooKeys . 2012 . 211 . 1–70 . 10.3897/zookeys.211.3463. free . 27 November 2016 -->. 3426840 . 22930648. 2012ZooK..211....1O .
6. Ruhberg . Hilke . Daniels . Savel R. . 2013-05-24 . Morphological assessment supports the recognition of four novel species in the widely distributed velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi sensu lato (Onychophora : Peripatopsidae) . Invertebrate Systematics . en . 27 . 2 . 131–145 . 10.1071/IS12069 . 86036034 . 1447-2600.