PROCEEDINGS OF TME UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM iistiej ''- ''' - ' "a^l hy the SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONU. S. NATIONAL MUSEUM Vol. 96 Wa.hington: 1946 No. 3197THE ONYCHOPHORES OF PANAMA AND THECANAL ZONE By Austin H. Clark and James Zetek For the past dozen years the junior author has been interested incolli'ctin'4 and obsorvinj]: the several species of Onychophora occurringin Panama and the Canal Zone. He sent to Hie senior author acollection including 82 specimens from various localities, among whichwere representatives of all but one (Peripatus ruber) of the speciesrecorded from the region; this omission, however, was more thancompensated by the presence of two species {Oroperipatus eisenii andEpiperipatus biolhyi) not previously known from this area, althoughthe first has been rej^orLed both from farther north and from farthersouth.The number of species of Ouyc^hophora now known from Panamaand the Canal Zone is unusually large for a region of such limitedextent, amounting to no less than seven, distributed in four genera.These seven species are: Oroprripntiis eisfuii, 0. corradi, Macrnperi-patus gcayi, Peripatus ruber, Eplpcripaius brasilicnsis, E. edwardsii, andE. biolleyi.The richest locality was at El Cermeuo, where four species, Ornpcri-pntufi ei.Hfnii, 0. corradi, Iipiperijuilus cdvdrdsii, and E. bifdleyi, werefound. Here the coconut habitat was the most productive, and theywere ratlier (?onimon. These j)ulms were not more than 5 years old,and the sheaths of the fronds wer(! usually a foot or two from tiioground. All it was necessary to do was to pull off these dead sheaths.M8730?40 205 206 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.96It is quite damp where the onychophores are found. There were notmany rocks or boards on the ground, which may account for thepresence of these creatures under the coconut-palm sheaths.From Barro Colorado Island three species are now known, Oroperi-patus corradi, Macroperipatus geayi, and Epiperipatus brasiliensis var.vagans.Dr. Waldo L. Schmitt has found onychophores in the dry seasonunder rocks where the soil remained moist in a dry stream bed, and0. eisenii and E. biolleyi have been found under stones by the sides ofstreams. One species has been found in bromelias in Central America,though not in Panama.As the records of the species of Onychophora known from Panamaand the Canal Zone are widely scattered, it has seemed worth while toinclude all of them herein, together with a key for their identificationand a bibliography.KEY TO THE ONYCHOPHORA OCCURRING IN PANAMA AND THECANAL ZONE a*. Urinary papilla of legs IV and V included in third arc of ambulatory pad ; 4 foot papillae, 2 on each side of foot.51. Urinary papillae of legs IV and V dividing third arc into 2 segments ofwhich the posterior is smaller than the anterior, though much broaderthan long; urinary tubercle wholly united to anterior portion of arc;26-29 (usually 28) pairs of legs in females, 24-25 (usually 25) in males;length 14-39 mm Oroperipatus corradib^. Urinary papillae of legs IV and V dividing third arc into 2 segments ofwhich the posterior is very small, scarcely broader than long; urinarytubercle more or less independent of anterior segment; 27-29 (usually28) pairs of legs in females, 23-26 (usually 25) in males; length 13-70 mm.Oroperipatus eiseniia^. Urinary papilla on legs IV and V below third arc, deeply indenting fourth;3 foot papillae, 2 anterior and 1 posterior.?. Papillae of dorsal surface each on an oblong or squarish base, the oblongbases elongated in direction of long axis of animal; 30-33 pairs of legsin females, 28 in males; length 27-100 mm Macroperipatus geayi?. Papillae of dorsal surface on highly irregular bases, the plications usuallyappearing undivided.c^ Principal papillae of dorsal surface of very different sizes, some veryconspicuous and cylindrical, others smaller and conical, usually 3 ofthe smaller between 2 of the larger; papillae separated by rather broadintervals in which accessory papillae occur; males usually with cruraltubercles on more than 2 pregenital pairs of legs; 29-30 (usually 30)pairs of legs in females; length 29-52 mm Peripatus ruberc*. Principal papillae of dorsal surface all of same type, passing through allintermediate stages from large to small; papillae closely set, thoughwith occasional accessory papillae between them; in small individualssome of the papillae predominant; crural tubercles of males on 2pregenital pairs of legs.dK On dorsal surface above each pair of legs a few short incomplete plica-tions, tapering to a point on each side intercalated between the others. ONYCHOPHORES OF PANAMA CLARK AND ZETEK 207 eK Fourth arc on logs IV and V strongly arclied beneath urinary papilla,but not divided into segments; urinary papilla attachal to thirdarc by a narrow band at deepest point in incision in latter; 29-34pairs of legs in females, 28-30 in males; length 23 5G mm.Epiperipatus edwardsiic*. Fourth arc on legs IV and V broken into 2 or 3 well-separated unequalparts; urinary papilla wholly independent of third arc; 30 pairs oflegs iu females, 26-2S in males; length 25-3(5 mm.Epiperipatus bioUeyid-. No short incomplete plications on the dorsal surface visible in dorsalview, the plications appearing wholly regular; 31-32 pairs of legs infemales, 29 in males; length 37-80 mm.Epiperipatus brasiliensiaGenus OROPERIPATUS CockerellOHOPEHIPATUS EISENH (Wheeler)Peripatus eisenii Wheeler, Journ. Morph., vol. 15, pp. 1-8, pi. 1, 1898 (TepicjMexico).?FcimMANN, M^m. Soc. Neuchfit. Sci. Nat., vol. 5, pp. 176-192,1912 (Rio PurtSs, Brazil).Oroperipatus eiseni A. II. Clakk, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 26, p. 16, 1913(listed).N'ew records.? lEA Cermeno, Panama; J. Zctek, July 8, 1941. Fe"males: (1) 55 mm. long;, 4 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (2) 52 mm.long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (3) 47 mm. long, 3 mm. broad,28 pairs of legs. (4) 46 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, 27 pairs of legs.(5) 45 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, 29 pairs of legs. (6) 45 mm. long,2.5 nmi. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (7) 42 mm. long, 2.5 mm. broad,28 pairs of legs. (8) 37 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 29 pairs of legs.(9) 30 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs.El Cermeno, Panama; J. Zetek, July 15, 1941. Females: (1) GOmm. long, 3.5 rajn, broad, 28 pairs of legs. (2) 59 mm. long, 3.5 mm.broad, 28 pairs of legs. (3) 55 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs oflegs. (4) 53 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (5) 52 mm.long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (6) 50 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad,28 pairs of legs. (7) 48 mm. long, 4 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs.(8) 43 mm. long, 4 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. Mule: (1) 30 mm.long, 2 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs.El Cermeno, Panama; J. Zetek, August 5, 1941. Females: (1) GOmm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (2) 55 mm. long, 3 mm.broad, 28 pairs of legs.Panama City, Panaiiiii ; J. Zetek, Scplcnibcf 1939. Females:(1) 70 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (2) ()9 mm. long,4 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (3) Go mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 28pairs of legs. (4) 04 mm. long, 3 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (5)61 mm. long, 3.5 mm. broad, 2S i)airs of legs. (G) (10 niiu. long, 3 mm.broad, 28 pairs of legs.Range.?Mexico (Tej)ie); Puiuiiua {VA Ceiiinno, rmuima City);Brazil (Kio Pin us).Note.?At El Cermeno this species was found in situations similarto those favored by 0. corradi. 208 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.98OROPERIPATUS CORRADI (Camerano)Peripatus corradi Camerano, Boll. Mus. Zool. Anat. Comp. Univ. Torino, vol. 13,No. 316, pp. 2, 3, 1898 (Ecuador). ? Bouvier, Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 9, zool.,vol. 2, p. 120, pi. 3, fig. 15, pi. 4, figs. 29, 30, text figs. 6, p. 15, 18, p. 20, 42,p. 38, 63, p. 124, and 64, 65, p. 125, 1905.Oroperipatus corradoi A. H. Clark, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 26, p. 18,1913 (listed); Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 63, No. 2, p. 1, 1914 (Ancon,Canal Zone; notes); Zool. Anz., vol. 45, No. 4. p. 146, 1914 (Ancon). ? Fuhr-MANN, Abh. Senck. naturf. Ges., vol. 36, Heft 2, pp. 277-283, 1915.?Brues,Psyche, vol. 32, No. 3, p. 159, 1925 (Canal Zone).New records.?El Cermeno, Panama; J. Zetek, July 8, 1941. Fe-males: (1) 32 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (2) 30 mm.long, 2.5 mm. broad, 28 paii's of legs. (3) 28 mm. long, 2.5 mm.broad, 27 pairs of legs. (4) 25 mm. long, 1.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs oflegs. (5) 16 mm. long, 1.5 mm. broad, 28 pairs of legs. (6) 15 mm.long, 1 mm. broad, 29 pairs of legs. Males: (1) 31 mm. long, 2 mm.broad, 25 pairs of legs. (2) 30 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs.(3) 28 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (4) 28 mm. long, 2mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (5) 27 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 25 pairsof legs. (6) 27 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (7) 26 mm.long, 1.5 mm. broad, 25 pan-s of legs. (8) 23 mm. long, 1.5 mm.broad, 25 pairs of legs. (9) 18 mm. long, 1.6 mm. broad, 25 pairs oflegs. (10) 18 mm. long, 1.5 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (11) 18 mm.long, 1.5 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (12) 17 mm. long, 1.3 mm.broad, 25 pairs of legs. (13) 15 mm. long, 1 mm. broad, 25 paiis oflegs.Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone; J. Zetek, August 1933. Males:(1) 33 mm. long, 2.5 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs. (2) 30 mm. long,2.5 mm. broad, 25 pairs of legs.Range.?Ecuador (Quito, Balzar, Guayaquil); Canal Zone (Ancon,Barro Colorado Island); Panama (El Cermeno).Notes.?At El Cermeno this species was found between the broadsheaths of old fronds and the trimks of coconut palms roughly 5 yearsold, and also under boards resting on the ground. On Barro ColoradoIsland it was usually met with under logs and stones and occasionallywith the ground-termite stakes. At Ancon it was found in earth tothe depth of about 1 foot about roots of papaya.Genus MACROPERIPATUS A. H. ClarkMACROPERIPATUS GEAYI (Bonvier)Peripatus geayi Bouvier, Comptes Rendus Acad. Sci. Paris, vol. 128, p. 1345,1899 (French Guiana); Ann. Sci. Nat., ser. 9, zool., vol. 2, p. 200, pi. 6,figs. 42, 43, text figs. 1, p. 36, and 86, p. 203, 1905.Macroperipatus geayi A. H. Clark, Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, vol. 26, p. 17,1913 (listed) ; Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 63, No. 2, p. 2, 1914 (from Clark,1913); vol. 65, No. 1, p. 23, 1915 (from Clark, 1913). OXYCHOPHOHES OF PANAMA?CLARK AND ZETEK 209Peripalus (Mncroperipolus) geayi A. II. Clauk, Smilhsoiiian Misc. Coll., vol. GO,No. 17, pp. 1-5, 1913 (La Chorrera, Panama; notes).?BurKS, Psyche, vol.32, No. 3, p. 160, 1925 (from Clark, 1913).New records.? Barro Colorado Island, Canal Zone; J. Zrtok, July1941. Females: (1) 100 mm. long, 8 mm. broad, 33 pairs of legs.(2) 70 mm. long, 4.5 mm. broad, 31 pairs of legs. (3) 70 mm. long,4 mm. broad, 30 pairs of legs. (4) 64 mm. long, 4 mm. broad, 30pairs of legs. (5) 38 mm. long, 3 nmi. broad, 33 pairs of legs.Pedro Miguel, Canal Zone; J. Zetek, April 1938. Females: (1) 84mm. long. 5 mm. broad, 32 pairs of legs. (2) 59 mm. long, 3 mm.broad, 31 pairs of legs. Afalcs: (1) 30 mm. long, 2 mm. broad, 28pairs of legs. (2) 27 mm. long, 1.5 nmi. broad, 28 pairs of legs.Balboa, Canal Zone; J. Zetek, 1944. Female: (1) 70 mm. long v/itli33 pairs of legs.Range.? French Guiana; Colombia; Panama (La Chorrera); CanalZone (Barro Colorado Island, Pedro Miguel, Balboa).Notes.?On Barro Colorado Island tliis species occurred underfallen logs and in leaf mold, at Pedro Miguel mider stones and boardson the ground. Large onychophores from the Orsini citrus orchardclo