186 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



June 10. 1911. 



INSECT NOTES. 



PBRIPATUS. 



The name at the head nf this article is used to designate 

 a genus of animals closely related to the insects. They belong, 

 in fact, to the group Arthropoda, or animals with jointed 

 limbs — the group which, as has been explained already in 

 the Arjricnllural Keirs (see Vol. YIII. p. 3-16), includes the 

 insects. Peripatus, however, cannot be classed as an insect, 

 on account of the great difference.-; from the structure of this 

 group which are exhibited by its liody. It forms, as a matter 

 of fact, a group entirely by itself, which is between the 

 Arthropoda and the worms (Annelida). 



Although this animal is not classed as an insect, and is 

 not known to be of any economic importance, even from harm 

 that it may do, it is nevertheles.s of interest from its peculiar 

 characteristics, and from the fact that it was originally des- 

 cribed (by Guilding in 1826) from the West Indies, the first 

 specimen having been obtained from the island of St. Vincent. 

 Guilding was deceived as to its proper affinities, for he 

 regarded it as a mollusc, probably because its antennae give 

 it a slugdike appearance. In any case, the concern of Peri- 

 patus to scientists, on account of its peculiar nature, and its 

 interesting historical connexion with the West Indies, form 

 .sufficient excuse for information to be given concerning it on 

 this i>age of the Ayricultural Ncivii. 



Figure S, which is re- 

 produced after Sedgwick, 

 represents a South African 

 species (P. capensis) in 

 a life-sized illustration. 

 In a description given in 

 the Camliridije Katural 

 JlUl-orij, Vol. V, p. 6, from 

 which much of the infor- 

 mation in this article is 

 taken, it is stated that the 

 head, which is not sharply 

 marked off from the rest 

 of the body, bears three 



pairs of appendages, a pair of simple eyes, and a mouth 

 placed underneath. The body is worm-shaped, and is 

 borne on a number of paired apjiendages, each ending in 

 a pair of claws, and all exactly alike; the number of 

 these varies in the different species. The colour 

 of the animal also differs considerably among the species, 

 and even in the difi'erent individuals of the same species. 

 The under surface is nearly always Hesh-coloured, while the 

 colour of the upper one is darker. The variations in colour 

 arc greatest in the South African and Australasian .species, 

 being less in those from the West Indies and South America. 

 There are ridges in the skin of the animal running from side 

 to side, and the body bears wart-like papillae everywhere, but 

 most thickly on the back; a well marked spine projects from 

 each papilla. The appendages of the head include the 

 antennae, the jaws and the papillae of the mouth; of these 

 the last are particularly interesting, as will be shown later. 

 As a general rule, the males are smaller and fewer in number 

 tlian the females, and it is a noticeable fact that where the 

 number of legs (appendages) varies in the species, these are 

 fewer in the male than in the female. 



The above description should serve as a means of identi 

 fying Peripatus wherever found. It is, however, more plainly 

 characterized by its habits. Peripatus, where it exists, is invari- 

 ably found in damp places — usually beneath the bark of rotten 



Fk; 



Per II' 



tree stumps, in rock crevices or beneath stones. It cannot 

 exist under dry conditions, and alwaj-s keeps away from light. 

 The animals move slowly, using their very sensitive an- 

 tennae for finding out the nature of the surface over which 

 they are passing, and their eyes to enable them to avoid the 

 light. They possess ' slime reservoirs', the contents of which 

 they eject with considerable force, when disturbed, from the 

 papillae of the mouth, mentioned above The distance to 

 which the .slime can be S(|uirted is as much as 1 foot, the 

 method of ejection being by means of a muscular contraction 

 of the body. Observations show that the slime is employed 

 as a defensive weapon, although some authorities are inclined 

 to hold the opinion that it is used for catching flies in order 

 that the animals may suck the juices from these insects; 

 some support is given to the latter supposition by the fact 

 that the slime, though apparently harmless, is very sticky. 

 A picture of the animal is well presented in the following 

 paragraph, which is taken from page b of the work to which 

 reference is made above. 



Peripatus, though a lowly organized animal, and of 

 remarkable sluggishness, with but slight development of the 

 higher organs of sense, with eyes the only function of which 

 IS to enable it to avoid the light — though related to those 

 animals most repidsive to the aesthetic sense of man, animals 

 which crawl upon their bellies and spit al, or poi.son, their 

 prey— is yet, strange to say, an animal of striking beauty. 

 The exquisite sensitiveness and constantly changing form of 



the antennae, the well- 

 rounded plump body, the 

 eyes set like small diam- 

 onds on the side of the 

 head, the delicate feet, and 

 above all, the rich colour- 

 ing and velvety texture of 

 the skin, all combine to give 

 these animals an aspect 

 of quite exceptional beau- 

 ty. Of all the species which 

 I have seenalive, the most 

 beautiful arethedark green 

 ndividuals of cajitnsis and 

 Jlnlfonri. These animals, 

 are not surpassed in the 



(After Sedgwick.) 



the species which I have called 

 so far as the skin is concerned, 



animal kingdom. I shall never forget my astonishment and 

 delight when on bearing away the bark of a rotten tree 

 stump in the forest on Table Mountain, I first came upon 

 one of these animals in its natural haunts; or when 

 Mr. Trimen showed me iu confinement at the South African 

 ^luseuni a fine fat, full-grown female, accompanied by her 

 large family of thirty or more just born but pretty ycmng, 

 .some of which were luxuriou.sly creeping about on the beauti- 

 ful skin of their mother's back. 



It will be of interest to readers of the Ar/rirultuml 

 Keirs to learn that it is desired to obtain West Indian speci- 

 mens of Peripatus for scientific purposes. With this object, 

 they are requested to send any specimens found by them to 

 the Officers of the Department, in order that they may Ije 

 forwarded to the Head Oftice. When they are only required 

 to travel a short distance, the specimens may be placed, with 

 a few pieces of damp bark, in a box having a tightly fitting 

 lid (see A<iricidtural Xews, Vol. II, p. 108); for long 

 distances they must be put in bottles, preferably with wide 

 juouths, containing alcohol or a 4-per cent, solution of 

 formalin, the bottles being packed carefully in order to 

 prevent breakage. 



The receipt of good specimens of Peripatus, packed in 

 this way, will be welcomed by the Deparkment. 



