Opisthopatus swatii

Opisthopatus swatii
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Family: Peripatopsidae
Genus: Opisthopatus
Species:
O. swatii
Binomial name
Opisthopatus swatii
Daniels et al., 2016

Opisthopatus swatii is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatidae.[1] This species is a clade in the O. cinctipes species complex. This species has 16 pairs of legs, and the color of the dorsal surface ranges from blue to slate black, while the ventral surface ranges from light brown to creamy white. The original description of this species is based on male holotypes ranging from 13 mm to 20 mm in length.[2] Also known as the Swati velvet worm,[3] this species is found in indigenous forest patches along the Highveld in Mpumalanga province in South Africa.[2]

References

  1. ^ Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  2. ^ a b Daniels, Savel R.; Dambire, Charlene; Klaus, Sebastian; Sharma, Prashant P. (2016). "Unmasking alpha diversity, cladogenesis, and biogeographical patterning in an ancient panarthropod lineage (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae: Opisthopatus cinctipes) with the description of five novel species". Cladistics. 32 (5): 506–537. doi:10.1111/cla.12154. ISSN 1096-0031. PMID 34727674. S2CID 49525550.
  3. ^ "Swati Velvetworm (Opisthopatus swatii)". iNaturalist. Retrieved 2023-03-12.

Further reading