We now have a project https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/arthropod-data to assist with data useful for identification. Please have a look at it and see if you can use it.
Integrative taxonomy provides evidence for a cryptic lineage in the velvet worm Peripatopsis birgeri species complex (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
PETRUS C. J. GROBLER, ANGUS MACGREGOR MYBURGH, AARON BARNES & SAVEL R. DANIELS 2023
https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank:org:pub:569557AB-8BC8-49B6-B8AA-96507371297B
Abstract
During the present study, species boundaries in the velvet worm Peripatopsis birgeri species complex in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, were examined with the use of DNA sequence data, gross morphology, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ecological niche modelling. Mitochondrial CO1 and nuclear 18S rRNA sequence data were used to generate a phylogeny using both a Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood approaches. Both the CO1 sequence data and the combined DNA sequence topology (CO1þ18S rRNA) revealed the presence of two geographically distinct clades within the P. birgeri species complex. Results from three species delimitation methods (GMYC, PTP and ASAP), were incongruent in determining the number of species within the species complex and generally overestimated the number of operational taxonomic units. The latter result can be attributed to the marked genetic structure within the species complex, a result corroborated by the CO1 haplotype network and statistically significant FST values. Divergence time estimation suggests that the two clades diverged during the Plio/Pleistocene. Niche modelling revealed that the two clades were differentially impacted by bioclimatic variables and occupied different habitats. Gross morphological characteristics, such as leg pair numbers and colour revealed no fixed differences between the two clades, however, a creamy white headband/collar occurred exclusively in specimens of clade 1 (P. birgeri). In contrast, SEM revealed fixed dorsal and ventral scale rank differences between the two clades. The results corroborate the presence of a novel species within the P. birgeri s.s. species complex. Peripatopsis birgeri s.s. is revised and restricted to the southern Drakensberg and a new species, P. polychroma sp. nov. (clade 2), from the northern Drakensberg and adjacent Afrotemperate forests in the interior of KwaZulu-Natal is described.
New species.
Systematics of the Peripatopsis clavigera species complex (Onychophora : Peripatopsidae) reveals cryptic cladogenic patterning, with the description of five new species
Aaron Barnes A,C, Till ReissA,B and Savel R. Daniels A
Invertebrate Systematics, 2020, 34, 569–590 https://doi.org/10.1071/IS19071
Abstract.
During the present study, DNA sequence data, gross morphology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to examine cryptic species boundaries in the velvet worm, Peripatopsis clavigera species complex, from the southern Cape Afrotemperate forest belt in South Africa. Sequence data were generated for the mitochondrial COI and the nuclear 18S rRNA loci and phylogenetically analysed using both a Bayesian inference and a maximum-likelihood approach. Both the COI data and the combined DNA sequence topology (COI+18S) revealed the presence of five clades within the Peripatopsis clavigera species complex, and revealed that specimens from Tulbagh were distantly related and represented a sixth clade. The evolutionary distinction of the five clades was corroborated to varying degrees by the four species-delimitation methods (ABGD, PTP, GMYC and STACEY); however, both the gross morphological data and the SEM provided limited diagnostic differences between the five clades. Furthermore, the COI haplotype network and phylogeographic analyses provided evidence of genetic isolation between lineages that are currently syntopic. The distribution of genealogically exclusive and widespread maternal lineages was atypical among velvet worms and did not reflect the general trend of genetic and geographical isolation. Instead, lineages exhibited admixture among localities, a result most likely due to fluctuations in climatic conditions affecting the southern Cape Afrotemperate forest during the Pliocene–Pleistocene period as evident from our divergence time estimations. Four novel, narrow-range endemic species – P. ferox, sp. nov., P. mellaria, sp. nov., P. edenensis, sp. nov. and P. mira, sp. nov. – are described within the P. clavigera species complex, whereas the Tulbagh specimens are described as P. tulbaghensis, sp. nov. Collectively, these results demonstrate that Peripatopsis likely contains several undescribed species.
New species:
Peripatopsis Cape Velvetworms
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/map?taxa=682711,682710,682709,908331,682708,682707,109141,682706,682705,682704,109140,196469,908328,908327,682702,109139#8/-33.1/22.8
Opisthopatus Grassveld Velvetworms
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/map?taxa=1247247,679919,1378120,679921,679922,679923,1247249,1247248,107687,679925#7/-30/29
From ordinary photographs it appears that it is easiest to just use distribution for ID.
We really do need photographic features that are useful.
Summary to Date (June 2020)
Opisthopatus
Opisthopatus cinctipes Common Velvetworm - widespread
Opisthopatus amaxhosa Xhosa Velvetworm
Opisthopatus baziya
Opisthopatus camdebooi Camdeboo Velvetworm
Opisthopatus drakensbergi High Drakensberg Velvetworm
Opisthopatus highveldi Highveld Velvetworm
Opisthopatus kwazululandi Coastal Velvetworm
Opisthopatus roseus Pink Velvetworm
Opisthopatus swatii Swati Velvetworm
Peripatopsis
Peripatopsis balfouri Southern Blue Velvetworm - Widespread (Cape Peninsula to Hott Holl)
Peripatopsis lawrencei Ruens Velvetworm - Widespread (Peninsula to Riviersondernd & Ruens)
Peripatopsis alba Cave Velvetworm - Cape Peninsula
Peripatopsis capensis Peninsula Velvetworm - Cape Peninsula
Peripatopsis leonina Lions Head Velvetworm - Lions Head (CR - presumed extinct)
Peripatopsis stelliporata Table Mountain Velvetworm - Cape Peninsula
Peripatopsis cederbergiensis Cedarberg Velvetworm - Cedarberg
Peripatopsis sp1 - Groot Winterhoek
Peripatopsis purpureus Hawequas Velvetworm - Hex to Hawekwas to Hott Holl
Peripatopsis bolandi Boland Velvetworm - Hott Holl
Peripatopsis overbergiensis Overberg Velvetworm - Langeberg & Potberg
Peripatopsis clavigera Knysna Velvetworm - Garden Route - George to Plett
Peripatopsis sedgwicki Tsitsikamma Velvetworm - Knysna to PE
Peripatopsis hamerae Kamala Velvetworm - Eastern Cape
Peripatopsis storchi Katberg Velvetworm - Eastern Cape
Peripatopsis janni Amathole Velvetworm - Eastern Cape
Peripatopsis moseleyi Eastern Velvetworm - widespread: Eastern Cape
Peripatopsis birgeri Curry Velvetworm - KZN
your questions here.
