Peripatopsis lawrencei, E, Dane, Ruhberg, Hilke & Daniels, Savel R., 2012

E, Dane, Ruhberg, Hilke & Daniels, Savel R., 2012, Two new Peripatopsis species (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae) from the Western Cape province, South Africa, Zootaxa 3380, pp. 55-68 : 64-65

Peripatopsis lawrencei sp. nov.

( Figs. 1 , 2 a, 3b, 4b and 5b)

(Theewaterskloof-Overstrand or “Clade C”, McDonald & Daniels 2012)

Material examined. Holotype. SAM-ENW-C6468a; Oubos, 34˚04' 34.33"S, 19˚49' 43.76"E, Riviersonderend, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M collected 20 October 2010 by McDonald and Abels.

Paratypes. SAM-ENW-C6468b; Oubos, 34˚04' 34.33"S, 19˚49' 43.76"E, Riviersonderend, Western Cape province, South Africa, 4 M collected 20 September 2010 by McDonald and Abels.

Additional material examined. SAM-ENW-C6457; Fernkloof Nature Reserve, 34˚23' 37.00"S, 19˚16' 34.00"E, Hermanus, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 F collected 2006 by Daniels and van den Worm, SAM-ENW-C6458a and b; 3 M and 3 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6455; Dappat se gat, 34˚13' 25.84"S, 18˚50' 24.16"E, Gordon’s Bay, Western Cape province, South Africa, 6 M and 3 F collected 2011 by Van Zyl. SAM-ENW-C6456a and b; Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve, 34˚19' 58.51"S, 18˚57' 05.34"E, Kleinmond, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 3 F collected 2011 by McDonald and Abels. SAM- ENW-C6462; Grootbos Private Reserve, 34˚55' 05.00"S, 19˚41' 37.00"E, Gansbaai, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 F and 3 (n/a) collected 2006 by Daniels, SAM-ENW-C6463a and b; 5 M and 6 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6464; Napier, 34˚29' 23.72"S, 19˚43' 20.25"E, Western Cape province, South Africa, 5 F collected 2010 by Van Zyl, SAM-ENW-C6465; 2 M and 10 F collected 2006 by Daniels and Picker. SAM-ENW-C6454; High Noon, 33˚54' 29.23"S 19˚16' 56.05"E, Villiersdorp, Western Cape province, South Africa, 9 juveniles collected 2006 by Picker, Cowlin, and Merl. SAM-ENW-C6453; 5 (n/a) collected 2006 by Picker and Cowlin. SAM-ENW-C6466, Greyton, 34˚02' 01.52"S 19˚36' 57.32"E, Western Cape province, South Africa, 3 (n/a) (date and collector not specified). SAM-ENW-C6448; Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, 33°58' 05.76"S, 18°56' 24.65"E, Stellenbosch, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 3 F collected 2011 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6449; 2 M and 2 F collected 2011 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW- X7290; unspecified locality, Stellenbosch, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 (n/a) collected 1905 by Brown. SAM-ENW-C6488; Rondevlei, 34˚03' 37.50"S 18˚29' 59.76"E, Cape Flats, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 (n/a) collected by Picker (date not specified). SAM-ENW-C6467; Oubos, 34˚04' 34.33"S, 19˚49' 43.76"E, Riviersonderend, Western Cape province, South Africa, 5 juveniles collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM- ENW-C6461; Klein Swartberg, 34°12' 43.00"S, 19°30' 23.00"E, Caledon, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 F collected 2011 by McDonald and Abels; SAM-ENW-C6460; 3 M and 4 F collected 2011 by Diedericks and Broeckhoven, SAM-ENW-X6390; 15 (n/a) collected by Watermeyer and Purcell (date unknown). SAM-ENW- C6450, C6451, and C6452; Berg River Dam, 33˚54' 25.14"S, 19˚03' 04.48"E, Franschoek, Western Cape province, South Africa, 4 M and 2 F collected 2010 by Van Zyl. SAM-ENW-X6388; Houw Hoek, Western Cape province, South Africa, 5 (n/a) collected 1900 by Purcell. Sir Lowry’s Pass, Western Cape province, South Africa, SAM-ENW-X4024; 1 (n/a) collected 1899 by Purcell.

Diagnosis. COI: High Noon, Villiersdorp: EU855288 - EU855291 , Grootbos Private Nature Reserve: EU855344 -EU85548, Greyton: EU855340 - EU855342 , Fernkloof Nature Reserve: EU855336 , JN798123 - JN798126 , Dappat se gat: JN798096 - JN798100 , Caledon: JN798101 , Jonkershoek: JN798102 -JN79805, Kogelberg: JN798106 -JN79807, Oubos: JN798108 - JN798111 , Rondevlei: JN798112 , Napier: JN798113 - JN798118 . Sequence divergence values between P. lawrencei sp. nov. and ( P. capensis and P. overbergiensis sp. nov.) are 8.1% and 7.8%, respectively.

18S rRNA: High Noon, Villiersdorp: EU855531 , JN798146 , Greyton: EU855528 , JN798153 , Fernkloof Nature Reserve: EU855526 , JN798145 , Dappat se gat: JN798151 , Caledon: JN798142 , Jonkershoek: JN798161 , Kogelberg: JN798162 , Oubos: JN798157 , Rondevlei: JN798159 , Napier: JN798160 , Grootbos Private Nature Reserve: EU 855532 , JN798154 .

In the combined DNA sequence topology ( Fig. 1 ) P. lawrencei sp. nov. formed a genetically distinct and statistically well-supported monophyletic clade ( McDonald & Daniels 2012). Peripatopsis lawrencei sp. nov. is restricted to Clade C.

Description. Measurements: Holotype (M): length: 20 mm, Paratypes (M adults, n = 4): 12–19 mm.

Colour and patterning: Dark brown/slate black/ rust orange to blood red pigmentation. Dark dorsal midline with light lateral band above legs along the entire body. Within the Napier locality no genetic difference was obeserved between blood red and slate black specimens (table 1).

Legs: 17+1 leg pairs. Dorsal foot surface with ridges ( Fig. 2 a). Three complete spinous pads with the fourth being completely to partially fragmented. Crural tubercle semicircular proximally and cylindrical distally (table 1).

Integument: Moderately spaced primary dermal papillae with 2–3 intermittent accessory papillae ( Fig. 3 b; table 1), conical or semicircular dermal papillae with 4–7 scale ranks ( Fig. 4 b; table 1). 5–7 rows of chemoreceptors at antennal tips. Mouth surrounded by 15–16 oral lips.

Male genital area: Gonopore cruciform with “horizontal arms” pointing slightly towards anus. Posterior genital pads smaller and with fewer sensory spines than anterior pads ( Fig. 5 b).

Remarks. P. lawrencei sp. nov. differs from P. capensis in the structure of the male genital pads (compare Figs. 5 b & 5c) as well as in the number of scale ranks on the primary dermal papillae ( Figs. 4 b & 4c). Furthermore, P. lawrencei sp. nov. is superficially similar to P. overbergiensis sp. nov. with slight differences in the dermal papillae arrangement and structure. However, sequence divergence values for the two species are 7.8%, indicating considerable genetic variation. Characters associated with the antennae (e.g. the number of antennal rings) were generally unreliable due to preservation artefacts and were hence omitted from the analysis.

Habitat. Afromontane forest patches in the southwestern part of the Western Cape province. Collected under decaying logs, leaf litter, and stones generally close to streams.

Distribution. Theewaterskloof-Overstrand region: P. lawrencei sp. nov. collected from areas at and surrounding the Hottentots-Holland mountains including the Riviersonderend Mountains and Rondevlei being isolated on the Cape Flats.

Etymology. Named after the late Dr. Reginald Frederick Lawrence, a respected South African invertebrate researcher with a long-standing interest in velvet worms.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Bayesian inference topology for the combined DNA analyses (COI + 18 S rRNA) amongst 21 Peripatopsis capensis sensu lato sample sites across the Western Cape, South Africa from McDonald & Daniels (2012). Peripatopsis capensis, Clade A (red); P. overbergiensis sp. nov., Clade B (purple) and P. lawrencei sp. nov., Clade C (green). The map shows the distribution of the three clades.

FIGURE 2. Scanning electron micographs illustrating the dorsal foot surface with ridges in: a, P. lawrencei sp. nov. and b, P. overbergiensis sp. nov.

FIGURE 3. Scanning electron micographs illustrating the arrangement of the primary dermal papillae. a, P. overbergiensis sp. nov., widely spaced primary dermal papillae with two intermittent accessory papillae, b, P. lawrencei sp. nov., moderately spaced primary dermal papillae with 2 – 3 intermittent accessory papillae, c, P. c a p e n s i s, densely spaced primary dermal papillae with 3 – 5 intermittent accessory papillae.

FIGURE 4. Scanning electron micographs illustrating morphological variation in the primary dermal papillae. a, P. overbergiensis sp. nov., semicircular or dome-shaped primary dermal papillae with six scale ranks, b, P. l aw re nc e i sp. nov., conical or semicircular primary dermal papillae with five scale ranks, c, P. c a p e n s i s, semicircular or dome-shaped primary dermal papillae with nine scale ranks.

FIGURE 5. Scanning electron micographs illustrating morphological variation in the genital area. a, P. overbergiensis sp. nov., genital area with posterior genital (pg) pads smaller (with fewer sensory spines) than anterior genital (ag) pads, b, genital area with posterior genital (pg) pads smaller (with fewer sensory spines) than anterior genital (ag) pads, c, genital area with the posterior genital (pg) pads similar in size (and with approximate number of sensory spines) as anterior genital (ag) pads.