Peripatus/Onychophora

Peripatoides novaezealandiae

Actually several species which are virtually indistinguishable from each other.

Background: Velvet worms belong to a unique group of animals. First discovered in 1826 on the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, these worm-like creatures called Onychophorans have led an exciting taxonomic life. They have been placed in their own phylum, in a subphylum, in the same phylum as arthropods and in the same phylum as annelid worms. They are generally considered to be the missing link between the annelid worms and arthropods as they exhibit features of both phylum.

First thought of as extremely rare they have now been discovered over several continents (Australia, Asia and South America) and in some cases are quite common although in general extremely difficult to find.

Origin: New Zealand

Habitat: Widespread in and around rotting logs.

Natural food: Ants, termites, leaf litter insects

Temperature range: 10 - 20C

Culture: Keep in closed container ¾ filled with loosely packed, damp sphagnum moss. Spray as necessary to maintain high humidity.

Keep shaded - definitely no exposure to sunlight.

During summer, can be kept in a warm part of fridge (6C min).

Will accept small crickets or feed on freshly killed large crickets. Feeding only once every one to two weeks is fine but remove uneaten or dead food regularly.

Can be kept communally. Up to 50 individuals have been found together in one log and even young are not eaten.

Ideally, disturb them as little as possible.

General information: No visible secondary sexual characteristics. Males tend to be smaller and lighter.

Some species within this group from New Zealand may be oviparous (egg layers) but most are ovoviviparous (bear live young).

Mating is by dermal-haemocoelic insemination – sperm packets are left on the female body and enter through the skin. Ovoviviparous females will carry several stages of embryo from newly fertilised eggs to fully developed young. It is reported that young are produced 2 – 3 times a year although evidence suggests that there is a continuous production.

Prey is captured by “spitting” a type of glue over them but they will also happily feed on large, freshly killed crickets or insects.

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