Epiperipatus barbadensis explained

Epiperipatus barbadensis is a species of velvet worm in the Peripatidae family,^[1] first described based on specimens from Barbados.^[2] It is one of the velvet worms that most often is kept in captivity,^[3] and was the first member of the Peripatidae family to be successfully maintained by hobbyist invertebrate keepers; it is easier to keep than the majority of other velvet worm species that have been tried, but still has specialized requirements that resemble those necessary for keeping poison dart frogs.^[4] E. barbadensis is social, nocturnal (it is photophobic and small groups rest together in tight spaces during the day) and viviparous, can live for several years, and feeds on small invertebrates that (like in other velvet worms) are caught by ejecting an adhesive slime from glands on their head.^[4]

This velvet worm is a uniform brown on its upper surface. The original description of this species was based on female specimens ranging from in length,^[5] but adult females usually are between, while males remain somewhat smaller.^[4] Females have 31 pairs of legs.^{[6] [7]}

Notes and References

1. Web site: Oliveira I. S.. Hering L.. Mayer, G.. amp. Updated Onychophora checklist. Onychophora Website. 24 November 2016.
2. Oliveira. I. S.. Read. V. M. S. J.. Mayer. G.. A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names. ZooKeys. 2012. 211. 1–70. 10.3897/zookeys.211.3463. 22930648. 3426840. free. 2012ZooK..211....1O .
3. Web site: Long . Emma . Epiperipatus . 2023-02-01 . Animal Diversity Web . en.
4. Web site: Care and Husbandry of Epiperipatus barbadensis . arthroverts.org . 26 June 2023 .
5. Froehlich . Claudio G. . 1962-12-12 . A Peripatus from Barbados . Boletim da Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras, Universidade de São Paulo. Zoologia . 24 . 24 . 325 . 10.11606/issn.2526-3382.bffclzoologia.1962.120594 . 2526-3382. free .
6. Read . V.M.St.J. . 1988-07-01 . The Onychophora of Trinidad, Tobago and the Lesser Antilles . Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society . 93 . 3 . 225–257 . 10.1111/j.1096-3642.1988.tb01362.x . 0024-4082.
7. Oliveira . Ivo S. . Lacorte . Gustavo A. . Fonseca . Cleusa G. . Wieloch . Alfredo H. . Mayer . Georg . 2011-06-10 . Cryptic Speciation in Brazilian Epiperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae) Reveals an Underestimated Diversity among the Peripatid Velvet Worms . PLOS ONE . en . 6 . 6 . e19973 . 10.1371/journal.pone.0019973 . 1932-6203 . 3112143 . 21695250 . free .