Preserved Invertebrates >> Onychophorans

A common genus is Peripatus, which is found in the West Indies, Central America, and the northern parts of South America. About 20 species of Peripatus are known. They have an elongated body consisting of 14 to 44 trunk segments, each having a pair of short legs. The number of segments differs by species. The dry, velvety skin of the animals varies in color to match surroundings.

In terms of evolutionary development, onychophorans are considered to fall between annelid worms and arthropods (e.g., insects and crustaceans). Fossil onychophorans date back 520 million years to the Cambrian.