World checklist of the Onychophora

This page and the links below aim to propose an updated checklist of valid taxa belonging to the Phyllum Onychophora.
The lists is mostly under construction at the genus level and plan to a comprehensive state at the species level in the future, according to updated knowledge in myriapod classification, systematics and biodiversity.
Any further contribution for taxonomical improvement is welcome.
Families, genera and species are listed according to alphabetic order.
Ý indicates fossil taxa.
* indicates type taxa (type genus, type species)

The considered hierarchical levels are CLASS - (SUBCLASS) - ORDER - FAMILY - GENUS - SPECIES

A checklist of velvet worms (Onychophora) of the world
compiled by
Jean-Jacques Geoffroy (MNHN, Brunoy-Paris, France)
published by the
Centre International de Myriapodologie (CIM) - International Society for Myriapodology

This list is very far to be comprehensive and updated. The work is still in construction and permanently in progress.
The provisional list is submitted on this page to be more easily completed.
Informations, corrections, improvments and any kind of contribution are welcome.
Contributors are deeply thanked.

Phyllum LOBOPODIA Snodgrass, 1938
Sub/Phyllum ONYCHOPHORA Grube, 1853
(c. 200 spp)

Ý Class XENUSIA Dziek & Krumbiegel, 1989

Ý Order Archonychophora Hou & Bergström, 1995
Family Luolishaniidae Hou & Bergström, 1995

Ý Order Protonychophora Hutchinson, 1930
Family Aysheaiidae Walcott, 1911
Gen. Aysheaia Walcott, 1911
Aysheaia pedunculata Walcott, 1911
Family Xenusiidae Dziek & Krumbiegel, 1989

Ý Order Scheronychophora Hou & Bergström, 1995
Family Eochochariidae Hou & Shu, 1987
Family Hallucigeniidae Conway Morris, 1977
Gen. Hallucigena
Family Cardiodyctyidae Hou & Bergström, 1995

Ý Order Paronychophora Hou & Bergström, 1995
Family Onychodyctyidae Hou & Bergström, 1995

Class UDEONYCHOPHORA Poinar, 2000

Ý Order Ontonychophora Poinar, 2000
Ý Family Helenodoridae Poinar, 2000
Gen. Helenodora Thompson & Jones, 1980
Ý Family Succinipatopsidae Poinar, 2000
Gen. Succinipatopsis Poinar, 2000
Succinipatopsis balticus Poinar, 2000
Ý Family Tertiapatidae Poinar, 2000
Gen. Tertiapatus Poinar, 2000
Tertiapatus dominicanus Poinar, 2000

Order Euonychophora Hutchinson, 1930 [Extant Onychophora]

Family Peripatidae Evans, 1901

Eoperipatus Evans, 1901

Eoperipatus horsti Evans, 1901

Epiperipatus Clarck, 1913

Epiperipatus biolleyi

Heteroperipatus Zilch, 1954

Macroperipatus Clarck, 1913

Mesoperipatus Evans, 1901

Oroperipatus Cockerell, 1908

Peripatus Guilding, 1826 *

Peripatus acacioi Marcus & Marcus, 1955
Peripatus bolleyi Bouvier
Peripatus edwardsii Blanch.
Peripatus sedgewicki
Peripatus simoni Bouvier

Plicatoperipatus Clarck, 1913

Plicatoperipatus jamaicensis

Speleoperipatus Peck, 1975

Speleoperipatus spelaeus Peck, 1975

Typhloperipatus Kemp, 1913

Typhloperipatus williamsoni

Family Peripatopsidae Bouvier, 1904

Gen. Acanthokara Reid, 1996
Acanthokara caputensis
Gen. Aethrikos Reid, 1996
Gen. Akthonothele Reid, 1996
Gen. Anoplokaros Reid, 1996
Gen. Austroperipatus Baehr, 1977
Austroperipatus aequabilis Reid, 1996
Gen. Baeothele Reid, 1996
Baeothele saukros
Gen. Centrorumis Reid, 1996
Gen. Cephalofovea Ruhberg et al., 1988
Cephalofovea tomahmontis Ruhberg
Gen. Critolaus Reid, 1996
Gen. Dactylothele Reid, 1996
Gen. Dystactotylos Reid, 1996
Gen. Euperipatoides Ruhberg, 1985
Euperipatoides kanangrensis Reid, 1996
Euperipatoides leuckartii (Saenger, 1869)
Euperipatoides rowelli Reid, 1996
Gen. Florelliceps Tait & Norman, 2001
Florelliceps stutchburyae Tait & Norman, 2001
Gen. Hylonomoipos Reid, 1996
Gen. Konothele Reid, 1996
Gen. Lathropatus Reid, 2000
Lathropatus nemorum Reid, 2000
Gen. Leuropezos Reid, 1996
Gen. Mantonipatus Ruhberg, 1985
Mantonipatus persiculus
Gen. Metaperipatus Clarck, 1913
Gen. Minyplanetes Reid, 1996
Gen. Nodocapitus Reid, 1996
Nodocapitus barryi Reid, 1996
Nodocapitus inornatus
Gen. Occiperipatoides Ruhberg, 1985
Gen. Ooperipatellus Ruhberg, 1985
Ooperipatellus duwilensis
Ooperipatellus insignis
Ooperipatellus nanus
Ooperipatellus viridimaculatus

Ooperipatus Dendy, 1900

Ooperipatus birrgus Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus caesius Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus cetunculus Reid, 1996
Ooperipatus costatus Reid, 1996
Ooperipatus hispidus Reid, 1996
Ooperipatus lepidus Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus nebulosus Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus oviparus (Dendy, 1895) [= Peripatus oviparus Dendy, 1895]
Ooperipatus paradoxus Bouvier = ???
Ooperipatus porcatus Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus pulchellus Reid, 1996
Ooperipatus silvanus Reid, 2000
Ooperipatus viviparus = ???

Opisthopatus Purcell, 1899

Opisthopatus cinctipes Purcell, 1899
Opisthopatus cinctipes amatolensis Choonoo, 1947
Opisthopatus cinctipes laevis Lawrence, 1947
Opisthopatus cinctipes natalensis Bouvier, 1900
Opisthopatus costesi Gravier & Fage
Opisthopatus herbetorum Ruhberg & Hamer, 2005
Opisthopatus roseus Lawrence, 1947

Paraperipatus Willey, 1898

Paraperipatus amboinensis
Paraperipatus ceramensis Muir & Kershaw
Paraperipatus lorentzi
Paraperipatus papuensis Sedgwick
Paraperipatus stresemanni Bouvier

Paropisthopatus Ruhberg, 1985

Peripatoides s. str. Pocock, 1894

Peripatoides indigo
Peripatoides novaezealandiae (Hutton, 1876)
Peripatoides orientalis

Peripatopsis Pocock, 1894

Peripatopsis alba Lawrence, 1931
Peripatopsis balfouri
Peripatopsis capensis (Grube, 1866)
Peripatopsis moseleyi (Wood-Mason, 1879)
Peripatopsis sedgwicki Purcell, 1899
Peripatopsis stelliporata Sherbon & Walker, 2004

Phallocephale Reid, 1996

Phallocephale tallagandensis Reid, 1996

Planipallipus Reid, 1996

Planipapillus annae Reid, 2000
Planipapillus berti Reid, 2000
Planipapillus biacinaces Reid, 1996
Planipapillus biacinoides Reid, 2000
Planipapillus bulgensis Reid, 1996
Planipapillus cyclus Reid, 2000
Planipapillus gracilis Reid, 2000
Planipapillus impacris Reid, 2000
Planapapillus mundus Reid, 1996
Planipapillus taylori Reid, 1996
Planipapillus tectus Reid, 2000
Planipapillus vittatus Reid, 2000

Gen. Regimitra Reid, 1996
Gen. Ruhbergia Reid, 1996
Ruhbergia bifalcata Reid, 1996
Gen. Sphenoparme Reid, 1996
Gen. 'Tasmania' [nom. nud.] Reid, 1996
'Tasmania': at present two species are to be described by H. Ruhberg.

Tasmanipatus Ruhberg, Mesibov, Briscoe & Tait, 1991

Tasmanipatus anophthalmus Ruhberg, Mesibov, Briscoe & Tait, 1991
Tasmanipatus baretti Ruhberg, Mesibov, Briscoe & Tait, 1991 *

Gen. Tetrameraden Reid, 1996
Gen. Vescerro Reid, 1996
Gen. Wambalana Reid, 1996

The Peripatopsidae are still under revision by C. Brockmann, M. Hamer, D. Gleeson, A. Reid, H. Ruhberg.

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Written by Jean-Jacques Geoffroy and Hilke Ruhberg. Copyright© 2006, Centre International de Myriapodologie
Summary / Sommaire

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