A new and critically endangered species and genus of Onychophora (Peripatidae) from the Brazilian savannah - a vulnerable biodiversity hotspot

摘要

In recent years, a high number of endemic species might have gone extinct silently in the Brazilian savannah (=Cerrado), a biodiversity hotspot, as researchers are not able to describe them as fast as their natural habitats are being destroyed. This especially holds true for onychophorans, or velvet worms, which include many point endemic species and, in this biome, only occur in small gallery forests susceptible to disturbances. In the present work, we use a combined morphological and molecular approach to describe a relict and critically endangered onychophoran species from the Cerrado. Our morphological analyses using light and scanning electron microscopy revealed novel characters and character states for Peripatidae, such as six interpedal structures per segment, modified scales on the genital and posterior body region of females and a third class of dermal papillae, herein named peripheral accessory papillae. Since Cerradopatus sucuriuensis gen. et sp. nov. showed a unique set of morphological characters and could not be assigned to any described genus of Peripatidae, a new genus is raised for this species herein. In addition to morphological data, the new taxon is supported by karyotypic, slime protein profiling and molecular data, including sequences of the mitochondrial genes COI and 12S rRNA. Unfortunately, Cerradopatus sucuriuensis gen. et sp. nov. is prone to an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild, as it only occurs in specific humid patches within three small, unprotected fragments of forest that are being progressively affected by human activities. According to the IUCN Red List categories and criteria, this species is classified as Critically Endangered and requires urgent conservation efforts.