An updated world checklist of velvet worms (Onychophora) with notes on nomenclature and status of names

Redescription of four Epiperipatus species with an update on the distribution of Epiperipatus acacioi (Marcus & Marcus, 1955)

Due to recent phylogenetic studies on Neopatida over the last ten years, the genus Epiperipatus has become the most diverse within Peripatidae. Such an expansion occurred due to nomenclatural acts based on evidence from anatomical characters that had not been well supported for genera and species included in the last Epiperipatus revision. Among these species are Epiperipatus brasiliensis (Bouvier, 1900), E. acacioi (Marcus & Marcus, 1955), E. cratensis Brito et al., 2010 and Peripatus bouvieri Fuhrmann, 1913. Here, we provide the redescription of these three species previously included in Epiperipatus, besides presenting Epiperipatus bouvieri as a new combination. We extended the distribution of E. acacioi for the Serra da Moeda in the municipalities of Rio Acima, Nova Lima, and Itabirito (Minas Gerais, Brazil). The molecular data showed that specimens from these locations are closely related to E. acacioi, forming a clade deeply nested within the Epiperipatus group. Hitherto, the distribution of the species was restricted to the Estação Ecológica do Tripuí in the municipality of Ouro Preto. However, based on our results, the natural porosity of the rocks associated with the iron ore deposits of this region may have allowed the dispersal of the species along the mountains in this region for tens of kilometers.

Perched on the Plateau: Speciation in a Cape Fold Mountain Velvet Worm Clade, With the Description of Seven New Species (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae: Peripatopsis) From South Africa

During the present study, we re-examined species boundaries in three mountain-dwelling velvet worm species complexes (Peripatopsis balfouri s.l., P. bolandi s.l. and P. purpureus s.l.) along the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa. We obtained DNA sequence data for both the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit one (COI) and the nuclear 18S rRNA loci. Phylogenetic inferences were derived with the use of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference coupled with a divergence time estimation. Four species delimitation methods (ASAP, bPTP, bGYMC and STACEY) together with gross morphological analyses and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to validate the diagnosis of novel species. Combined phylogenetic results demonstrated the presence of three geographically discrete clades (A-C). Corroborative evidence for the novel lineages could be derived from the dorsal integument colour of live specimens and fixed dorsal and ventral papilla scales rank counts. The four species delimitation methods produced variable results. Divergence time estimations indicated that the Miocene epochs was a major period of cladogenesis. The seven novel velvet worm species, P. barnardi sp. nov., P. fernkloofi sp. nov., P. jonkershoeki sp. nov., P. kogelbergi sp. nov., P. landroskoppie sp. nov., P. limietbergi sp. nov., and P. palmeri sp. nov., are herein described.

An ultraconserved element probe set for velvet worms (Onychophora)

Onychophora are cryptic, soil-dwelling invertebrates known for their biogeographic affinities, diversity of reproductive modes, close phylogenetic relationship to arthropods, and peculiar prey capture mechanism. The 216 valid species of Onychophora are grouped into two families - Peripatopsidae and Peripatidae - and apart from a few relationships among major lineages within these two families, a stable phylogenetic backbone for the phylum has yet to be resolved. This has hindered our understanding of onychophoran biogeographic patterns, evolutionary history, and systematics. Neopatida, the Neotropical clade of peripatids, has proved particularly difficult, with recalcitrant nodes and low resolution, potentially due to rapid radiation of the group during the Cretaceous. Previous studies have had to compromise between number of loci and number of taxa due to limitations of Sanger sequencing and phylotranscriptomics, respectively. Additionally, aspects of their genome size and structure have made molecular phylogenetics difficult and data matrices have been affected by missing data. To address these issues, we leveraged recent, published transcriptomes and the first high quality genome for the phylum and designed a high affinity ultraconserved element (UCE) probe set for Onychophora. This new probe set, consisting of ∼ 20,000 probes that target 1,465 loci across both families, has high locus recovery and phylogenetic utility. Phylogenetic analyses recovered the monophyly of major clades of Onychophora and revealed a novel lineage from the Neotropics that challenges our current understanding of onychophoran biogeographic endemicity. This new resource could drastically increase the power of molecular datasets and potentially allow access to genomic scale data from archival museum specimens to further tackle the issues exasperating onychophoran systematics.

Ngāokeoke Aotearoa: The Peripatoides Onychophora of New Zealand

(1) Background: Originally described as a single taxon, Peripatoides novaezealandiae (Hutton, 1876) are distributed across both main islands of New Zealand; the existence of multiple distinct lineages of live-bearing Onychophora across this spatial range has gradually emerged. Morphological conservatism obscured the true endemic diversity, and the inclusion of molecular tools has been instrumental in revealing these cryptic taxa. (2) Methods: Here, we review the diversity of the ovoviviparous Onychophora of New Zealand through a re-analysis of allozyme genotype data, mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I sequences, geographic information and morphology. (3) Results: New analysis of the multilocus biallelic nuclear data using methods that do not require a priori assumptions of population assignment support at least six lineages of ovoviviparous Peripatoides in northern New Zealand, and mtDNA sequence variation is consistent with these divisions. Expansion of mitochondrial DNA sequence data, including representation of all existing taxa and additional populations extends our knowledge of the scale of sympatry among taxa and shows that three other lineages from southern South Island can be added to the Peripatoides list, and names are proposed here. In total, 10 species of Peripatoides can be recognised with current data.

Sample design in biodiversity studies matters: a fine-scale study of Lawrence's velvet worm, Peripatopsis lawrencei (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae), reveals hidden diversity

A fine-scale phylogenetic and phylogeographic analysis of Peripatopsis lawrencei s.l. was conducted with both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data, using both external morphology and scanning electron microscopy of taxonomically important characters. A total of 119 sequences were used for the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI ) whereas a single representative specimen from each locality was sequenced for the nuclear 18S rRNA locus. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted on the total COI data set and the combined COI + 18S rRNA data set using a Bayesian analysis and maximum likelihood analyses. For the combined DNA sequence data set, a divergence time estimation was further undertaken in BEAST and specimens placed in a phylogenetic framework including all the described Peripatopsis species from South Africa. In addition, a phylogeographic study was conducted exclusively on P. lawrencei s.s. (clade A) using an analysis of molecular variance and haplotype network. Phylogenetic results indicated that, at the Oubos sample locality, two highly distinct genetic lineages were present (clades A and B), whereas a divergence time estimation suggests a Miocene cladogenesis of the novel Oubos lineage. Marked phylogeographic structure was observed for P. lawrencei s.s. (restricted to clade A) across the distribution range with limited maternal dispersal. Morphologically, the two sympatric lineages at Oubos A and B differed in leg pair number, ventral colour and dorsal scale rank counts, as evident from scanning electron microscopy. Our results support the recognition of a distinct species that occurs in sympatry with P. lawrencei s.s. The new species, P. aereus sp. nov. (clade B) is described and the implication for fine-scale taxonomic studies on saproxylic taxa is discussed. ZooBank: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AB6E0BDA-7B5F-4FD3-A863-BA7C814E278C.