Ecology: Unusual and ancient

Photo / Phil Brown

Peripatus, velvet worm

There are around 30 species of the velvet worm, or peripatus in New Zealand. The M?ori name is ngaokeoke, which comes from the word ngaoki, meaning to crawl.

"This is one of New Zealand's most ancient creatures, with fossils of peripatus indicating they have been around for about 550 million years."

Peripatus breathe through tubes called tracheae which can't be closed. This means they lose moisture easily and therefore need to live in damp areas. It also means they can drown in pools of water.

Phil says that first velvet worm discovered on Maungatautiri Ecological Island met an unfortunate ending. "It was a bit dirty so the person washed it and the creature promptly died. They didn't realise that peripatus breathe through the hairs on their body, so it drowned."

These nocturnally-active creatures have poor sight and use their antennae to find their insect prey. They shoot out a gooey fluid which sticks to their unsuspecting prey and traps them. These creatures are then ripped open and injected with digestive enzymes. The insides are sucked out. The gluey, saliva trap can hit prey that are several centimetres away. Species of peripatus in other countries can spit up to 50 centimetres.

For more information on Maungatautari Ecological Island visit their website or their facebook page.

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