An undescribed species of velvet worm from Chiapas, Mexico (Onychophora: Peripatidae)

An undescribed species of velvet worm from Chiapas, Mexico (Onychophora: Peripatidae)

Authors

  • Xocoyotzin Toledo-Matus Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Apartado postal 57, C.P.29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
  • Gustavo Rivera-Velázquez 1. Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Apartado postal 57, C.P.29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México 2. Laboratorio de Acuacultura y Evaluación Pesquera, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, A.P. 57, C.P.29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México
  • Julián Monge-Nájera Laboratorio de Ecología Urbana, Universidad Estatal a Distancia, 2050 San José, Costa Rica
  • Bernal Morera-Brenes Laboratorio de Genética Evolutiva, Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v10i1.2025

Keywords:

extension of geographic range, new locality, new undescribed species, velvet worm, urban onychophorans.

Abstract

Onychophoran worms are considered "living fossils" because their basic body structure has changed little in 500 million years. Only two species have been properly recorded from Mexico: Macroperipatus perrieri from Veracruz, and Oroperipatus eisenii from Nayarit. Here we report an undescribed species of Oroperipatus from Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. Males, which are rarer, smaller and reddish than females, are 3-4cm long and have 24-25 leg pairs (N=6). Females are 4-7,5cm long and have 28-29 pairs (N=19). We propose the common name "Tuxtla Brownish Purple Velvet Worm" to help study and protect the species until it receives formal description. This new record expands the known distribution of the phylum in Mexico from the evergreen forest of Veracruz to the deciduous forest of Tuxtla (400Km).

Author Biography

Xocoyotzin Toledo-Matus, Instituto de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Apartado postal 57, C.P.29000, Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas, México

 

 

References

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Published

2018-02-28

How to Cite

Toledo-Matus, X., Rivera-Velázquez, G., Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2018). An undescribed species of velvet worm from Chiapas, Mexico (Onychophora: Peripatidae). UNED Research Journal, 10(1). https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v10i1.2025

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 1 (2018)

Section

Articles

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