Epiperipatus
Epiperipatus is the most diverse genus of neotropical velvet worms in the family Peripatidae. Species in this genus are found in Central and South America. This genus is viviparous, with mothers supplying nourishment to their embryos through a placenta.
Description
Several traits are considered diagnostic for this genus. These traits include the number of scale ranks on the basal piece of the primary papillae, four complete spinous pads of the soles of the feet of the fourth and fifth pairs of legs, sometimes with vestiges of a fifth pad, a nephridial tubercle on the fourth and fifth leg pairs, located between the third and fourth spinous pads, and in males, one to three pairs of pregenital legs with crural papillae. Velvet worms in this genus can have as few as 23 leg pairs or as many as 39 leg pairs.Species
The genus contains the following species:Epiperipatus acacioi Epiperipatus adenocryptus Oliveira et al., 2011Epiperipatus barbadensis Epiperipatus barbouri Epiperipatus beckeri Costa, Chagas & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018Epiperipatus bernali Costa & Giribet, 2021Epiperipatus betheli Epiperipatus biolleyi Epiperipatus brasiliensis Epiperipatus broadwayi Epiperipatus cratensis Brito, Pereira, Ferreira, Vasconscellos & Almeida, 2010Epiperipatus diadenoproctus Oliveira et al., 2011Epiperipatus edwardsii Epiperipatus evansi Epiperipatus enymari Chagas-Jr & Costa, 2025Epiperipatus hilkae Morera-Brenes and Monge-Najera, 1990Epiperipatus hyperbolicus Costa, Chagas & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018Epiperipatus imthurni Epiperipatus isthmicola Epiperipatus lewisi Epiperipatus lucerna Costa, Chagas & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018Epiperipatus machadoi Epiperipatus marajoara Costa, Chagas & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018Epiperipatus ohausi Epiperipatus paurognostus Oliveira et al., 2011Epiperipatus puri Costa, Mendes & de Leão Giupponi, 2023Epiperipatus simoni Epiperipatus titanicus Costa, Chagas & Pinto-da-Rocha, 2018Epiperipatus torrealbai Scorza, 1953Epiperipatus trinidadensis Epiperipatus vagans Epiperipatus vespuccii Brues, 1914Epiperipatus nicaraguensis and Epiperipatus tucupi are considered nomina dubia by Oliveira et al. 2012.