Peripatopsis leonina

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Peripatopsis leonina
Conservation status

Critically Endangered (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Onychophora
Class:
Udeonychophora
Order:
Euonychophora
Family:
Peripatopsidae
Genus:
Peripatopsis
Species:
P. leonina
Binomial name
Peripatopsis leonina
Purcell, 1899

The Lion's Hill velvet worm (Peripatopsis leonina) is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatopsidae family.[1] This species has 20 to 24 pairs of legs with claws, usually 21 or 22 leg pairs, with the last pair of legs reduced.[2][3]

The Lion's Hill velvet worm has only been recorded from the type locality; Signal Hill (also known as Lion's Hill), South Africa, where it was found under stones in small ravines. Signal Hill is situated amongst Fynbos habitat. Peripatopsis leonina was previously considered extinct but is currently listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, on conservative grounds that it may still be extant but merely undiscovered. Habitat loss and degradation are thought to be the reasons for the species' decline.[4][5]

See also[]

  • Onychophora#Conservation

References[]

  1. ^ Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  2. ^ Monge-Nájera, Julián (1994). "Reproductive trends, habitat type and body characteristcs in velvet worms (Onychophora)". Revista de Biología Tropical: 611–622. ISSN 2215-2075.
  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. ^ Hamer, M. 2003. Peripatopsis leonina. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Downloaded on 5 August 2007.
  5. ^ Oliveira, I. S.; Read, V. M. S. J.; Mayer, G. (2012). "A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names". ZooKeys (211): 1–70. doi:10.3897/zookeys.211.3463. PMC 3426840. PMID 22930648.


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