Nature Atlas

How Nature Works
Sign In
Text size
100%
Theme

Switch Atlas

Taxa

Onychophora

Phylum

The velvet worms: soft-bodied, caterpillar-like invertebrates with many pairs of stubby, clawed legs, notable for hunting prey by spraying a sticky adhesive slime from glands near the mouth. Onychophora occupies a position on the tree of life close to the ancestral split between arthropods and other invertebrates, and living species are confined to humid tropical and south-temperate forests.

Facts
Taxonomic Rank
Phylum / Division 2
Scientific Name
Onychophora 2
Member Count Band
100 to 1000 Species 3
Era First Appeared
Cambrian 4
Disputed
Member Species/Taxa Count
200 2
Approximate described-species (or, for a genus, described-taxon) count; continually revised as species are newly described, reclassified or synonymized.
Classification
Living or Extinct
Yes 1
Connections

Child Taxon Of

Animalia, Taxa
Source Catalogue of Life
In the Other Atlases

Found In

Australia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Central America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Chile

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Gabon

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

New Zealand

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Northeast India

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

South America

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Southeast Asia

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Southern Africa

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

The Caribbean

Also in Geography Atlas: where this subject is found.

Sources
1. Wikidata (taxon extant/extinct status)
Wikimedia Foundation / Wikidata contributorsQ5191, descriptionView the Source
2. Catalogue of Life
Species 2000 & ITIS Catalogue of LifeView the Source
3. Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank): Taxon metrics for Onychophora
Catalogue of Life (ChecklistBank)Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
Quote, Taxon metrics, speciesExtantCount
"speciesExtantCount": 235
View the Source
4. Paleobiology Database: Taxon record for Onychophora
Paleobiology DatabaseTaxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
Quote, Taxon record, first appearance (firstapp_max_ma, early_interval)
"taxon_name": "Onychophora" ... "firstapp_max_ma": 538.8 ... "early_interval": "Fortunian"
View the Source
Wikidata: Onychophora
Wikidata Q5191, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source
Onychophora - Wikipedia
In Group: Minor Animal Phyla, Lead
Quote, In Group: Minor Animal Phyla, Lead
Onychophora (from Ancient Greek: ονυχής, onyches, "claws"; and φέρειν, pherein, "to carry"), commonly known as velvet worms (for their velvety texture and somewhat worm-like appearance), is a phylum of long, soft-bodied, many-legged animals.
View the Source
Comments (0)
No comments yet. Be the first to share a thought.
Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.