The relationship between humidity, light and the activity pattern of a velvet worm, Epiperipatus sp. (Onychophora: Peripatidae), from Bahía Drake, South Pacific of Costa Rica

Abstract Even though the Onychophora represent a whole phylum, observations of their activity pattern in nature are almost non-existent. Here we report on the relationship between humidity and light and activity pattern of a new species of velvet worm, genus Epiperipatus, from four years of field observations in the South Pacific of Costa Rica. We found that most activity occurs during the driest and darkest nights of the year, in contrast with theoretical predictions.

摘要：尽管有爪动物门（Onychophora）是一个独立的动物门，但目前关于其自然活动模式的野外观测记录几乎空白。本研究基于哥斯达黎加南太平洋区域历时四年的野外观测，报道了一种隶属于异皮属（Epiperipatus）的新种天鹅绒虫（velvet worm）的湿度、光照与活动模式之间的关联。研究发现，该物种的主要活动时段集中在一年中最干燥且最昏暗的夜晚，这与现有理论预测相悖。