Peripatopsis capensis sensu

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 : 58-59

Peripatopsis capensis sensu stricto

( Figs. 1 , 3 c and 4c)

(Cape Peninsula or “Clade A”, McDonald & Daniels 2012)

Bouvier (1907) ascertained that the type material of P. capensis (Grube, 1866) is lost. Consequently, Ruhberg (1985) established a neotype to stabilize the taxon (Article 75, ICZN).

Neotype. Rhodes Memorial, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa: 1 M collected 1975 by S. and M. Kiselowa. See Ruhberg (1985: 94) for full description (ZMH A25/80).

Additional material examined. SAM-ENW-C6438; Myburgh Ravine, 34˚00' 19.28"S, 18˚22' 41.96"E, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 3 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6439; Orangekloof, 34˚00' 15.69"S, 18˚22' 58.64"E, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 2 M and 6 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels, SAM-ENW-C6440; 3 M and 2 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6441; Cecelia Forest, 33˚59' 75.00"S, 18˚24' 99.00"E, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 2 F and 2 juvenile specimens collected 2006 by Picker, SAM-ENW-C6442; 1 F and 4 juvenile specimens collected 2006 by Picker, SAM-ENW- C6443; 4 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6444; Skeleton Gorge, 33˚58' 48.00"S, 18˚25' 12.00"E, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 3 juvenil specimens collected 2010 by McDonald. SAM-ENW-C6445; 1 F collected 2006 by S.K. SAM-ENW-C6446; Rhodes Memorial, 33˚57' 09.75"S, 18˚27' 04.66"E, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 4 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW-C6447; Rhodes Memorial, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 4 F collected 2010 by McDonald and Abels. SAM-ENW- X7267; Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M collected 1898 by Treleaven, 1 (undetermined sex) collected 1900 by Treleaven. SAM-ENW-X6384; Platteklip Ravine, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M collected by Purcell 1900, SAM-ENW- X6371; 2 (n/a) collected by Purcell 1900, SAM-ENW-X1061; 1 (undetermined sex) collected 1896 by Lightfoot and Purcell, SAM-ENW-7275; 7 juveniles collected 1901 by Purcell, SAM-ENW-C2010; 1 (n/a) collected 1981 by Car. SAM-ENW-X6386; Newlands, Table Mountain, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 M and 1 (undetermined sex) collected 1900 by Lightfoot and Purcell, SAM-ENW-X1064; 1 (undetermined sex) collected 1898 by Purcell, SAM-ENW-X4014; 1 (n/a) collected 1898 by Treleaven. SAM-ENW-X1060; Mowbray, Cape Town, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 specimen (undetermined sex) collected 1877 by Bright. SAM-ENW-X1063; St. James, Kalk Bay, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 4 specimens (n/a) collected 1898 by Purcell, SAM-ENW-X1065; 1 (undetermined sex) collected 1896 by Beard, SAM-ENW-B738; 1 specimen (undetermined sex) collected 1909 by Godfrey, SAM-ENW-X6383; 3 M specimens (date and collector unknown). SAM-ENW-X7279; Bergvliet, Constantia, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 1 F collected 1901 by Purcell. SAM-ENW-7289; Unknown locality, Cape Peninsula, Western Cape province, South Africa, 3 specimens (undetermined sex) collected 1903 by French.

Diagnosis. COI: Myburgh Ravine: JN798075 - JN798076 , Orangekloof: JN798079 - JN798082 , Rhodes Memorial: JN798083 - JN798088 , Skeleton Gorge: EU855330 , JN798089 - JN798091 , Cecelia Forest: EU855329 - EU855331 , JN798092 - JN798095 . Sequence divergence values between P. capensis sensu stricto and ( P. lawrencei sp. nov. and P. overbergiensis sp. nov.) are 8.1% and 8.6%, respectively.

18S rRNA: Myburgh Ravine: JN798147 , Orangekloof: JN798148 , Rhodes Memorial: JN798158 , Skeleton Gorge: JN798150 , Cecelia Forest: EU855529 , JN798143 .

In the combined DNA sequence topology ( Fig. 1 ) P. capensis sensu stricto formed a genetically distinct and statistically well-supported monophyletic clade ( McDonald & Daniels 2012). Peripatopsis capensis is now restricted to Clade A.

Description. Colour and patterning: Dark brown/slate black/indigo and seldom rust orange pigmentation. Dark dorsal midline with light lateral band above legs along the entire body (table 1).

Legs: 17+1 leg pairs. Dorsal foot ridges absent. Three complete spinous pads with the fourth being completely fragmented (table 1).

Integument: Densely spaced primary dermal papillae with relatively large accessory papillae ( Fig. 3 c; table 1), cylindrical or dome-shaped primary dermal papillae with 6–9 scale ranks ( Fig. 4 c; table 1). 6–8 rows of chemoreceptors at the antennal tips. Mouth surrounded by 16–17 oral lips.

Male genital area: Gonopore cruciform. Genital pads covered with sensory spines.

Remarks. Peripatopsis capensis differs from P. l a w re n c e i sp. nov. and P. overbergiensis sp. nov. in the structure of the primary dermal papillae as well as in the arrangement of dermal papillae ( Figs. 3 & 4 ). Sequence divergence between P. capensis and the two novel lineages is marked (8.1% and 8.6% for P. lawrencei sp. nov. and P. overbergiensis sp. nov., respectively).

Habitat. Afromontane forest patches in the southwestern part of the Western Cape province. Collected from inside or under decaying logs, leaf litter, and stones generally close to streams. Specimens were also found within and beneath rotting pine logs in old pine plantations (e.g. Rhodes Memorial).

Distribution. Restricted to the Cape Peninsula, Table Mountain region.

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 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.