Is it a mite?

t

Common names

velvet worms, peripatus, onychophorans

Probability of encounter

low

Quarantine importance

No known importance.

Similarity to mites

None.

Morphology

Normal adult length: >2 cm
Body tagmata: trunk + head
Eyes: a pair of lateral ocelli
Antennae: 1 pair, annulate
Mouthparts: internal mandibles, pair of oral papillae
Legs: numerous pairs of lobopods
Respiration: cuticular
Gonopore: obscure
Distinguishing features: annulate and papillate body, numerous lobopods, annulate antennae, glue glands

Comments: Velvet worms have an annulated, worm-like body covered with papillae, typically with a grey-blue to brown basic coloration and usually banded or spotted. The head has a pair of ocelli, a pair of annulate antennae, and a pair of oral papillae that produce the glue. The mandibles consist of a pair of sharp, toothed structures within an oral pouch. The legs are lobopods and end with a pair of claws. The anus is terminal.

Diversity

<100 described species

References

• Tree of Life Web Project 2000bTree of Life Web Project 2000b:
  Tree of Life Web Project. 2000b. Onychophora. Velvet Worms. Version 01 January 2000 (temporary). The Tree of Life Web Project, http://tolweb.org/