![]() ![]() (2012a) exposed the fact that nearly all peripatids and several peripatopsids required revision, and at least 20 species must be regarded as nomina dubia due to major taxonomic inconsistencies. This study showed that until early 2012, a total of 197 recent species had formally been described and assigned to two major subgroups: the Peripatidae, holding 82 species, and the Peripatopsidae, with 115 species unambiguous fossils with uncertain relationship to the extant taxa included three additional species ( Oliveira et al. For example, the actual number and validity status of species assigned to Onychophora has only been clarified recently, when the first and only world checklist available for this group was published ( Oliveira et al. These organisms were discovered nearly two centuries ago ( Guilding 1826) but many aspects of their biology are still little understood. Onychophorans, or velvet worms, have long attracted the attention of scientists due to their rarity, peculiar lifestyle, and significance for studies of animal diversity, evolution, biogeography, and conservation. These and other taxonomic aspects are addressed herein in the light of the directives established by the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. ![]() Recurrent taxonomic issues identified in the literature include inaccurate collecting event data, doubtful taxonomic assignment of molecular sequences, and non-observance of nomenclatural rules. From the taxonomic standpoint, 216 species are valid, although many of them require morphological revision and molecular characterization 21 species exhibit major taxonomic ambiguities and have been regarded as nomina dubia. Yet, taxonomic descriptions seem slow-paced, with an average of 3.6 onychophoran species being described annually. Since the previous checklist, 37 species have been added to Onychophora, representing an increase of 18.5% in the diversity described for the group. According to the data, 237 species are currently assigned to Onychophora: 140 of Peripatopsidae, 92 of Peripatidae, and five fossil species with unclear relationship to extant taxa. Additional remarks include nomenclatural inconsistencies, synonymizations, name misspellings, conflicting collecting event data, availability of taxonomically informative molecular data, etc. This checklist covers both extant ( Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae) and fossil taxa, and each species is accompanied by information on synonyms, type designation, holotype location, type locality, and language of original description. Herein, the up-to-date taxonomic scenario within Onychophora is presented, with appraisal of name status. During this period, numerous nomenclatural acts and taxonomic changes have been suggested within the group and a wealth of novel data has been published on many taxa. More than a decade has passed since the publication of the only world checklist available for Onychophora. ![]()
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