A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)

A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora)

Authors

  • Ángel Sosa-Bartuano Colección Zoológica Dr. Eustorgio Méndez, Departamento de Investigación en Entomología Médica, Instituto Conmemorativo Gorgas de Estudios de la Salud (ICGES), Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá
  • Julián Monge-Nájera Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana, Universidad Estatal a Distancia (UNED), 2050 San José, Costa Rica
  • Bernal Morera-Brenes Laboratorio de Sistemática, Genética y Evolución (LabSGE), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v10i1.2027

Keywords:

Conservation Onychophora, new solutions for threatened biodiversity, non-technical names for invertebrates, informal names, velvet worm common names

Abstract

Onychophorans or velvet worm are the only phylum without extant marine species and the only invertebrates with a true placenta, but most species are rare and thus more likely to become extinct. A key obstacle for their conservation is the time and work needed to describe species with the high standards current taxonomy, and many species will remain undescribed and without any name for years. Here we propose a way to associate information with undescribed species: "common names", a solution that has proved its value in ornithology. Onychophoran common names must include a geographic indicator and a description a salient characteristic, and to show its viability, here we apply our proposal to the velvet worm fauna of southeastern Central America. Common names like "Lajas Ferruginous Brown Onychophoran", "Churuquita Collared Cinnamon Rufous Onychophoran" and "Antón Collared Mauve Onychophoran" will help conservation until formal Latin binomials become available.

References

Barclay, S., Ash, J. E., & Rowell, D. M. (2000). Environmental factors influencing the presence and abundance a log-dwelling invertebrate, Euperipatoides rowelli (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae). Journal Zoology, 250(4), 425-436.doi:10.1111/j.1469-7998.2000.tb00786.x

Barquero-González, J. P., Acosta-Chaves, V. J., Sotela, M. L., Brenes, F. V., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2016a). Evidencia fotográfica de especies desconocidas de onicóforos (Onychophora: Peripatidae) de Costa Rica. UNED Research Journal, 8(2), 139-147.doi:10.22458/urj.v8i2.1553

Barquero-González, J. P., Cabrera Alvarado, A. A., Valle-Cubero, S., Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2016b). The geographic distribution Costa Rican velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 64(4), 1401-1414.doi:10.15517/rbt.v64i4.19486

Barrett, D., Recio, M. R., Barratt, B. I., Seddon, P. J., & van Heezik, Y. (2016). Resource selection by an ancient taxon (Onychophora) in a modern urban landscape: A multi-scale analysis approach to assist in the conservation an animal phylum. Landscape and Urban Planning, 148, 27-36.

Blunt, W. (2002). Linnaeus: The Compleat Naturalist. Princeton: Princeton University Press.

Concha, A., Mellado, P., Morera-Brenes, B., Sampaio-Costa, C., Mahadevan, L., & Monge-Nájera, J. (2015). Oscillation the velvet worm slime jet by passive hydrodynamic instability. Nature Communications, 6, 6292. doi: 10.1038/ncomms7292

Costa, C. S. (2016). Systematic and phylogenetic analysis Epiperipatus Clark, 1913 based on molecular and morphological data (Onychophora, Peripatidae). Ph.D. Thesis, Instituto de Biociências (IB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Daniels, S. R., Picker, M. D., Cowlin, R. M., & Hamer, M. L. (2009). Unravelling evolutionary lineages among South African velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatopsis) provides evidence for widespread cryptic speciation. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 97(1), 200-216.

de Sena Oliveira, I., Read, V. M. S. J., & Mayer, G. (2012). A world checklist Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status names. ZooKeys, 211, 1.doi: 10.3897/zookeys.211.3463

Fox, R. (2014, August 4th). Booklet on peripatus worm released. Otago Daily Times, South Island, New Zealand.

Köhler, G. (2012). Color Catalogue for Field Biologist. Offenbach, Germany: Herpeton Verlag.

Marshall, S. A., & Evenhuis, N. L. (2015). New species without dead bodies: a case for photo-based descriptions, illustrated by a striking new species Marleyimyia Hesse (Diptera, Bombyliidae) from South Africa. ZooKeys, 525, 117.doi:10.3897/zookeys.525.6143

Monge-Nájera, J. (1995). Phylogeny, biogeography and reproductive trends in the Onychophora. Zoological Journal the Linnean Society, 114, 21–60.

Monge-Nájera, J. (2017). The power short lectures to improve support for biodiversity conservation unpopular organisms: an experiment with worms. UNED Research Journal, 9(1), 145-150.

Monge-Nájera, J. (2018). City Worms: why do fragile invertebrates from an ancient lineage live in heavily urbanized areas? UNED Research Journal, 10(1), in press (esta en este mismo número cambiar por los números de página cuando ya esté diagramado)

Monge-Nájera, J., & Lourenço, W. R. (1995). Biogeographic implications evolutionary trends in onychophorans and scorpions. Biogeographica-Paris, 71, 179-186.doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1995.tb00111.x

Monge-Nájera, J., & Hou, X. (2000). Disparity, decimation and the Cambrian" explosion": comparison early Cambrian and Present faunal communities with emphasis on velvet worms (Onychophora). Revista de Biología Tropical, 48(2-3), 333-351.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Hou, X. (2002). Experimental taphonomy velvet worms (Onychophora) and implications for the Cambrian" explosion, disparity and decimation" model. Revista de Biología Tropical, 50(3-4), 1133-1138.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2016). Velvet worms (Onychophora) in folklore and art: geographic pattern, types cultural reference and public perception. British Journal Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 10(3), 1-9doi:10.9734/BJESBS/2015/18945

Morera-Brenes, B. (2012). Los onicóforos, fósiles caminantes. El Salvador Ciencia & Tecnología, 17(23), 8-13.

New, T. R. (1995). Onychophora in invertebrate conservation: priorities, practice and prospects. Zoological Journal the Linnean Society,114(1), 77-89. doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1995.tb00113.x

Peck, S. B. (1975). A review the New World Onychophora, with the description a new cavernicolous genus and species from Jamaica. Psyche, 82(3-4), 341-358.doi:10.1155/1975/98614

Read, V. S. J. (1988). The application scanning electron microscopy to the systematics the neotropical Peripatidae (Onychophora). Zoological Journal the Linnean Society, 93(3), 187-223.doi:10.1111/j.1096-3642.1988.tb01361.x

Sampaio-Costa, C., Chagas-Junior, A., & Baptista, R. L. (2009). Brazilian species Onychophora with notes on their taxonomy and distribution. Zoologia (Curitiba), 26(3), 553-561.doi:10.1590/S1984-46702009005000004

Sullivan, Wood, Iliff, Bonney, Fink & Kelling 2009 eBird: a citizen-based bird observation network in the biological sciences. Biological Conservation, 142, 10, 2282-2292.

Additional Files

Published

2018-02-28

How to Cite

Sosa-Bartuano, Ángel, Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2018). A proposed solution to the species problem in velvet worm conservation (Onychophora). UNED Research Journal, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v10i1.2027

Issue

Section

Articles
Loading...