Leucopatus Explained

Leucopatus is a genus of velvet worm in the family Peripatopsidae, containing a single species, the blind velvet worm (Leucopatus anophthalmus).[1] [2] [3] It is found in northeast Tasmania, Australia, and is ovoviviparous.[4]

The species was first described in 1991 as Tasmanipatus anophthalmus.[5] [6]

Taxonomy

The generic name Leucopatus refers to the species' white colouration. The specific name anophthalmus refers to this species' lack of eyes.[7]

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.Typical habitat is beneath stones and rotten logs in sclerophyllous forests and shrubland.[8]

Conservation

Leucopatus anophthalmus is listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List.[9]

Notes and References

  1. Oliveira . Ivo de Sena . Ruhberg . Hilke . Rowell . David M. . Mayer . Georg . 2018-08-16 . Revision of Tasmanian viviparous velvet worms (Onychophora : Peripatopsidae) with descriptions of two new species . Invertebrate Systematics . en . 32 . 4 . 909–932 . 10.1071/IS17096 . 91253450 . 1447-2600.
  2. Web site: Oliveira, I.. Hering, L.. Mayer, G.. amp. Updated Onychophora checklist. Onychophora Website. 24 November 2016.
  3. Web site: Australian Faunal Directory. Australian Government Department of the Environment. 29 June 2016.
  4. Baker . Caitlin M . Buckman-Young . Rebecca S . Costa . Cristiano S . Giribet . Gonzalo . 2021-12-09 . Xia . Xuhua . Phylogenomic Analysis of Velvet Worms (Onychophora) Uncovers an Evolutionary Radiation in the Neotropics . Molecular Biology and Evolution . en . 38 . 12 . 5391–5404 . 10.1093/molbev/msab251 . 1537-1719 . 8662635 . 34427671.
  5. Web site: Species Leucopatus anophthalmus (Ruhberg, Mesibov, Briscoe & Tait, 1991) . 2023-06-03 . Australian Faunal Directory . Australian Government.
  6. 7-10 [9].
  7. 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 . 10.26749/rstpp.125.7 . free.
  8. Web site: Australian Faunal Directory.
  9. New, T.R. . 1996 . Leucopatus anophthalmus . 1996 . e.T21501A9292041 . 10.2305/IUCN.UK.1996.RLTS.T21501A9292041.en . 12 November 2021.

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