Photographic evidence of undescribed species of velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae) from Costa Rica

Photographic evidence of undescribed species of velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae) from Costa Rica

Authors

  • José Pablo Barquero-González Universidad Nacional
  • Víctor J. Acosta-Chaves Universidad de Costa Rica
  • María Laura Sotela Universidad Nacional
  • Federico Villalobos Brenes Universidad Nacional
  • Bernal Morera-Brenes Universidad Nacional

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v8i2.1553

Keywords:

Citizen Science, Neotropic, Undescribed species, Onychophorans, Peripatus.

Abstract

Onychophorans are hard to find and identify to species under field conditions. Currently, there are seven species described from Costa Rica, and an appropriate taxonomic revision is necessary. However, technology allows the documentation of rare and even undescribed species. Here we compile donated photographs and online images to identify 18 new Costa Rican species (based on taxonomic characteristics or geographical distribution). In addition we present relevant scientific information for each. Although it is not possible to make a formal description of species from photographs, this compilation shows where they can be searched for future research. Our goal is to preserve this information and to raise awareness among biology students and nature photographers about the importance of finding an onychophoran. These findings frequently result in new species discoveries.

Author Biographies

José Pablo Barquero-González, Universidad Nacional

Laboratorio de Sistemática, Genética y Evolución (LabSGE), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

Víctor J. Acosta-Chaves, Universidad de Costa Rica

Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro, Costa Rica

María Laura Sotela, Universidad Nacional

Laboratorio de Sistemática, Genética y Evolución (LabSGE), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

Federico Villalobos Brenes, Universidad Nacional

Laboratorio de Sistemática, Genética y Evolución (LabSGE), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

Bernal Morera-Brenes, Universidad Nacional

Laboratorio de Sistemática, Genética y Evolución (LabSGE), Escuela de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional, Heredia, Costa Rica

References

Altincicek, B., & Vilcinskas, A. (2008). Identification of immune inducible genes from the velvet worm Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora). Developmental & Comparative Immunology, 32(12), 1416-1421.

Baer, A., Oliveira, I., Steinhagen, M., Beck-Sickinger, A. G., & Mayer, G. (2014). Slime protein profiling: a non-invasive tool for species identification in Onychophora (velvet worms). Journal of Zoological Systematics and Evolutionary Research, 52(4), 265-272.

Barquero-González, J.P., Cabrera Alvarado, A.A., Valle-Cubero, S., Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2016). The geographic distribution of Costa Rican velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 64 (4): in press.

Bartolomaeus, T., & Ruhberg, H. (1999). Ultrastructure of the body cavity lining in embryos of Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora, Peripatidae): a comparison with annelid larvae. Invertebrate Biology, 118(2), 165-174.

Bouvier, E. L. (1902a). Un péripate de Costa Rica. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 239-240.

Bouvier, E. L. (1902b). Peripatus biolleyi, Onychophore nouveau de Costa Rica. Bulletin de la Société Entomologique de France, 16, 258-259.

Brockmann, C., Mummert, R., Ruhberg, H., & Storch, V. (1999). Ultrastructural investigations of the female genital system of Epiperipatus biolleyi (Bouvier 1902) (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Acta Zoologica, 80(4), 339-349.

Budowski, G. (1997). El turismo y la conservación del ambiente ¿Conflicto, coexistencia o simbiosis?. Biocenosis (Costa Rica), 12(1), 36-41.

Concha, A., Mellado, P., Morera-Brenes, B., Sampaio Costa, C., Mahadevan, L., & Monge-Nájera, J. (2015). Oscillation of the velvet worm slime jet by passive hydrodynamic instability. Nature Communications, 6, 6292.

Daniels, S. R., & Ruhberg, H. (2010). Molecular and morphological variation in a South African velvet worm Peripatopsis moseleyi (Onychophora, Peripatopsidae): Evidence for cryptic speciation. Journal of Zoology, 282(3), 171-179.

Fuhrmann, O. (1913). Über einige neue neotropische Peripatus-Arten. Zoologischer Anzeiger, 42, 241-248.

Garrick, R. C., Rowell, D. M., Simmons, C. S., Hillis, D. M., & Sunnucks, P. (2008). Fine-scale phylogeographic congruence despite demographic incongruence in two low-mobility saproxylic springtails. Evolution, 62(5), 1103-1118.

Giribet, G., Edgecombe, G. D., & Wheeler, W. C. (2001). Arthropod phylogeny based on eight molecular loci and morphology. Nature, 413(6852), 157-161.

Haberman, K. L. (2015). On the significance of small dead things. Journal of Natural History Education and Experience, 9, 8-12.

Hering, L., Henze, M. J., Kohler, M., Kelber, A., Bleidorn, C., Leschke, M... & Mayer, G. (2012). Opsins in Onychophora (velvet worms) suggest a single origin and subsequent diversification of visual pigments in arthropods. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 29(11), 3451-3458.

Jeffery, N. W., Oliveira, I. S., Gregory, T. R., Rowell, D. M., & Mayer, G. (2012). Genome size and chromosome number in velvet worms (Onychophora). Genetica, 140(10-12), 497-504.

Köhler, G. (2012). Color catalogue for field biologists. Herpeton. Offenbach, Germany.

Mayer, G. (2006). Structure and development of onychophoran eyes: What is the ancestral visual organ in arthropods? Arthropod Structure & Development, 35(4), 231-245.

Mayer, G., & Harzsch, S. (2007). Immunolocalization of serotonin in Onychophora argues against segmental ganglia being an ancestral feature of arthropods. BMC Evolutionary Biology, 7(1), 118.

McGlynn, T. P., & Kelley, C. D. (1999). Distribution of a Costa Rican wet forest velvet worm (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 92(1), 53-55.

Mesibov, R., & Ruhberg, H. (1991). Ecology and conservation of Tasmanipatus barretti and T. anophthalmus, parapatric onychophorans (Onychophora:Peripatopsidae) from northeastern Tasmania. Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Tasmania, 125, 11–16. Minteer, B. A., Collins, J. P., Love, K. E., & Puschendorf, R. (2014). Avoiding (re) extinction. Science, 344(6181), 260-261.

Monge-Nájera, J., Barrientos, Z., & Aguilar, F. (1993). Behavior of Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora: Peripatidae) under laboratory conditions. Revista de Biología Tropical, 41(3), 689-696.

Monge-Nájera, J. (1994). Desarrollo sostenible; la visión desde los países menos industrializados. En Desarrollo sostenible; la visión desde los países menos industrializados. UNED.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B. (1994). Morphological and physiological characteristics of two species of Epiperipatus from Costa Rica (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 42(1/2), 181-181.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Alfaro, J. P. (1995). Geographic variation of habitats in Costa Rican velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Biogeographica, 71(3), 97-108.

Monge-Nájera, J., Barrientos, Z., & Aguilar, F. (1996). Experimental behaviour of a tropical invertebrate: Epiperipatus biolleyi (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Museo Nacional Historia Natural, 169, 434-439.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Hou, X. (1999). 500 Millones de años de evolución: onicóforos, los primeros animales que caminaron (Onychophora). Boletín SEA, 26, 171-178.

Monge-Nájera, J., & Morera-Brenes, B (2015). Velvet Worms (Onychophora) in Folklore and Art: Geographic Pattern, Types of Cultural Reference and Public Perception. British Journal of Education, Society & Behavioural Science, 10(3): 1-9.

Mora, M., Herrera, A., & León, P. (1996a). Análisis electroforético de las secreciones adhesivas de onicóforos del género Epiperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 44(1), 147-152.

Mora, M., Herrera, A., & León, P. (1996b). The genome of Epiperipatus biolleyi (Peripatidae), a Costa Rican onychophoran. Revista de Biología Tropical, 44 (1), 153-157.

Morera-Brenes, B., & León, M. D. (1986). Description of Macroperipatus valerioi n. sp. from Costa Rica, and comments on the genus Macroperipatus (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 34(2), 277-282.

Morera-Brenes, B., Monge Nájera, J., & Sáenz, R. (1988). Parturition in Onychophorans: New Record and a Review. Brenesia, 29, 15-20.

Morera-Brenes, B., & Monge-Nájera, J. (1990). Epiperipatus hilkae, n. sp. from Costa Rica (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 38(2B), 449-456.

Morera-Brenes, B., Herrera, A., Mora, M. & León, P. (1992). Estudios genómicos de Epiperipatus biolleyi (Peripatidae, Onychophora). Revista Brasileira de Genetica / Brazilian Journal of Genetics, 15(1, Suppl. 2):91.

Morera-Brenes, B., & Monge-Nájera, J. (2010). A new giant species of placented worm and the mechanism by which onychophorans weave their nets (Onychophora: Peripatidae). Revista de Biología Tropical, 58(4), 1127-1142.

Morera-Brenes, B. (2012). Los onicóforos, fósiles caminantes. El Salvador Ciencia & Tecnología, 17(23), 8-13.

Murienne, J., Daniels, S. R., Buckley, T. R., Mayer, G., & Giribet, G. (2014). A living fossil tale of Pangaean biogeography. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B: Biological Sciences, 281(1775), 1-9.

New, T. R. (1995). Onychophora in invertebrate conservation: priorities, practice and prospects. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 114(1), 77-89.

Oliveira, I. S., Franke, F. A., Hering, L., Schaffer, S., Rowell, D. M., Weck-Heimann, A… & Mayer, G. (2012a). Unexplored character diversity in Onychophora (velvet worms): a comparative study of three peripatid species. PLoS ONE, 7(12), 1-20.

Oliveira, I. S., Read, V. M. S. J., & Mayer, G. (2012b). A world checklist of Onychophora (velvet worms), with notes on nomenclature and status of names. ZooKeys, 211, 1-70.

Picado, C. (1911). Sur un habitat nouveau des Peripatus. Bulletin du Musée National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 17, 415-416.

Picado-Twight, C. (1913). Les broméliacées épiphytes considérées comme milieu biologique. Las bromeliáceas epífitas consideradas como medio biológico. Bulletin Scientifique de la France et de la Belgique, 47(3), 215-360.

Podsiadlowski, L., Braband, A., & Mayer, G. (2008). The complete mitochondrial genome of the onychophoran Epiperipatus biolleyi reveals a unique transfer RNA set and provides further support for the Ecdysozoa hypothesis. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 25(1), 42-51.

Read, V. S. J. (1988). The Onychophora of Trinidad, Tobago and the Lesser Antilles. Zoological journal of the Linnean Society, 93(3), 225-257.

Reyes, A., & Herrero, D. (2002). Turismo sostenible. España: IEPALA Editorial.

Rocha, L.A., A. Aleixo, G. Allen, F. Almeda, C.C. Baldwin, M.V.L. Barclay, J. M. Bates, A. M. Bauer, F. Benzoni, C.M. Berns et al. (2014). Specimen collection: An essential tool. Science, 344: 814-815.

Rota-Stabelli, O., Kayal, E., Gleeson, D., Daub, J., Boore, J. L., Telford, M. J., Pisani, D., Blaxter, M. & Lavrov, D.V. (2010). Ecdysozoan mitogenomics: evidence for a common origin of the legged invertebrates, the Panarthropoda. Genome, Biology and Evolution, 2, 425-440.

Ruhberg, H. (1985). Die Peripatopsidae (Onychophora): Systematik, Ökologie, Chorologie und phylogenetische. Aspekte. E. Schweizerbart’sche Verlagsbuchhandlung (Nägele u. Obermiller).

Savage, J. M. (2002). The amphibians and reptiles of Costa Rica: a herpetofauna between two continents, between two seas. U. Chicago, USA.

Stiles, F. G., & Skutch, A. F. (1989). Guide to the birds of Costa Rica. Cornell, Itaca, New York, USA.

Tristán Fernández, J. F. (1926). Pablo Biolley. pp. 38. pp. 34-46. Available online: http://www.ots.ac.cr/rdmcnfs/datasets/biblioteca/pdfs/nbina-12782.pdf. Consultada el 26 de mayo del 2015.

Valerio, C. E. (1991). La diversidad biológica de Costa Rica. In 2. Congreso Forestal Nacional 25-27 Nov 1992 San José (Costa Rica) (No. 333.95097286 V164). Heliconia; Fundación Neotrópica.

Young, A. M. (1980). On the patchy distribution of onychophorans in two cocoa plantations in northeastern Costa Rica. Brenesia, 17, 43-48.

Published

2016-10-12

How to Cite

Barquero-González, J. P., Acosta-Chaves, V. J., Sotela, M. L., Villalobos Brenes, F., & Morera-Brenes, B. (2016). Photographic evidence of undescribed species of velvet worms (Onychophora: Peripatidae) from Costa Rica. UNED Research Journal, 8(2), 139–147. https://doi.org/10.22458/urj.v8i2.1553

Issue

Section

Articles
Loading...