Mia's Passion Project

Peripatus by Zachary and Nishil

New Zealand Peripatus

`Per-rip-i-tus`

By Zachary and Nishil

Intro

Have you ever heard of a half worm half caterpillar? A peripatus is a soft skinned invertebrate that is also a predator. The peripatus can also be called a velvet worm. In this report you'll read about peripatus, appearance, habitat,diet and the different species.

Appearance

A peripatus is a velvet worm. It is called a living fossil because of how long it lives. It has been unchanged 500 million years. Peripatus can get up to 2-8 centimeters long. They can live for 5 years and they have 10-20 offspring. Peripatus are like caterpillars with a pair of stumpy legs.

Species

Peripatus has around 30 species in new zealand but only nine have been identified the identified species are:

New Zealand peripatus

Peripatoides aurorbis (Auckland, Waikato, Kahurangi),

Peripatoides suteri (Taranaki Waitakere ranges, Whakapapa, Coromandel).

Peripatoides indigo (Nelson region), Indigo

Peripatoides sympatrica,(most north island)

Peripatoides kawakaensis, (north island)

Peripatoides morgani (Waikato, south through centre North Island.

Peripatoides novaezealandiae (Wellington area). Wellington

Ooperipatellus viridimaculatus (Most of the South Island).ohau

Ooperipatellus nanus (Takitimu Ranges, Fiordland).sinbad

Peripatoides- (per rip i toy des)

Habitat

Peripatus are mostly found in bushy areas near lots of damp leaf litter and mossy areas. They also hide in rotting log or shady cool areas during the day. Peripatus

How can you help?

You can help in your area by planting local native trees e.g planting kanuka over manuka in greenhithe because manuka are not naturally found in greenhithe.report any sightings to doc

Diet

The peripatus is an extraordinary hunter here’s how it hunts… the peripatus walks slowly through the forest floor waiting for an insect, then strike’s with two streams of sticky white glue it hardens when contact so the insect will be stuck leaving the peripatus to bite the insect then spits into the hole silva and sucks out the insides.

Breeding

The peripatus breeding is amazing the male peripatus will be on top of the female and will lay a case of sperm which will si into the female's skin and fertilize the eggs which will come out of the mother as baby peripatus

Conclusion

Peripatus is a caterpillar like invertebrate which can catch prey twice the size of its own length and weight. Now you know that there hiding in your local reserve may be one of the world's deadliest invertebrate

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