Redescription of Epiperipatus edwardsii, and descriptions of five new species of Epiperipatus from Brazil (Onychophora: Peripatidae)

ABSTRACT Epiperipatus edwardsii (Blanchard, 1847) is redescribed based on fresh material collected near the type locality. Additionally, five new species of velvet worms of the genus Epiperipatus Clark, 1913 from Brazil are described: Epiperipatus hyperbolicus sp. nov., Epiperipatus lucerna sp. nov., Epiperipatus titanicus sp. nov. (Holotypes deposited in MNRJ: Murici, Alagoas State), Epiperipatus beckeri sp. nov. (Holotype female deposited in MNRJ: Camacan, Bahia State) and Epiperipatus marajoara sp. nov. (Holotype male deposited in MZUSP: Breves, Marajó island, Pará State). The peculiar shape of the primary papillae (artichoke-like) of E. titanicus sp. nov. and E. beckeri sp. nov. is documented for the first time. Epiperipatus titanicus sp. nov. has the largest number of pairs of oncopods (38 for males and 39 for females) among the Brazilian Onychophora. We also provide an identification key for Brazilian species of Epiperipatus.

摘要：基于模式产地附近采集的新鲜标本，对爱德华异栉蚕（Epiperipatus edwardsii，Blanchard, 1847）进行重新描述。此外，记述了来自巴西的异栉蚕属（Epiperipatus Clark, 1913）下的5个天鹅绒虫新种：双曲线异栉蚕（Epiperipatus hyperbolicus sp. nov.）、灯形异栉蚕（Epiperipatus lucerna sp. nov.）、巨型异栉蚕（Epiperipatus titanicus sp. nov.，正模标本保存于MNRJ：阿拉戈斯州穆里西）、贝氏异栉蚕（Epiperipatus beckeri sp. nov.，雌性正模标本保存于MNRJ：巴伊亚州卡马坎）以及马拉若异栉蚕（Epiperipatus marajoara sp. nov.，雄性正模标本保存于MZUSP：帕拉州马拉若岛布雷韦斯）。巨型异栉蚕与贝氏异栉蚕的初级乳突呈朝鲜蓟状的特殊形态，为全球首次报道。在巴西有爪动物门（Onychophora）类群中，巨型异栉蚕的叶足（oncopods）对数最多，雄性为38对，雌性为39对。本研究还编制了巴西异栉蚕属物种的分类检索表。