Tasmanipatus anophthalmus

The blind velvet worm (Tasmanipatus anophthalmus) is a species of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae.[2][3] The species is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.[1]

Tasmanipatus anophthalmus
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Onychophora
Class:
Udeonychophora
Order:
Euonychophora
Family:
Peripatopsidae
Genus:
Tasmanipatus
Species:
T. anophthalmus
Binomial name
Tasmanipatus anophthalmus
Ruhberg et al. 1991

Taxonomy

Tasmanipatus barretti was described by Ruhberg et al. in 1991. The generic name Tasmanipatus refers to the species' distribution in Tasmania, Australia. The specific name anophthalmus refers to this species' lack of eyes.[4]

Description

The body is entirely white except for the tips of claws and jaws, which are dark brown. There are 15 pairs of oncopods. Adults are typically 25–30 mm long, but may extend to 50 mm while walking. Most distinctively, this species lacks eyes.[4] Typical habitat is beneath stones and rotten logs in sclerophyllous forests and shrubland.[5]

See also

References
  1. New, T.R. (1996). "Tasmanipatus anophthalmus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 1996. Retrieved 5 August 2007.
  2. Oliveira, I.; Hering, L. & Mayer, G. "Updated Onychophora checklist". Onychophora Website. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  3. "Australian Faunal Directory". Australian Government Department of the Environment. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  4. Ruhberg, H.; Mesibov, R.; Briscoe, D. A.; Tait, N. N. (1991). "Tasmanipatus barretti gen. nov., sp. nov. and Tasmanipatus anophthalmus sp. no.: two new and unusual onychophorans (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from northeastern Tasmania". Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania. 125: 7–10.
  5. https://biodiversity.org.au/afd/taxa/Tasmanipatus_anophthalmus


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