''Peripatopsis storchi'' is a species of

velvet worm Onychophora (from grc, ονυχής, , "claws"; and , , "to carry"), commonly known as velvet worms (due to their velvety texture and somewhat wormlike appearance) or more ambiguously as peripatus (after the first described genus, '' Peripatus ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Peripatopsidae Peripatopsidae is one of the two living velvet worm families. Description The Peripatopsidae exhibit relatively many characteristics that are perceived as original or "primitive" with respect to the Peripatidae. The number of leg pairs in this ...

. This species is a clade in the '' P. moseleyi''

species complex In biology, a species complex is a group of closely related organisms that are so similar in appearance and other features that the boundaries between them are often unclear. The taxa in the complex may be able to hybridize readily with each oth ...

. The number of legs in this species ranges from 21 pregenital pairs (plus one genital pair) to 23 pregenital pairs (plus one genital pair). Males of this species range from 12 mm to 22 mm in length, and females range from 22 mm to 36 mm in length, but live animals can stretch to 50 mm while walking. Also known as the Katberg velvet worm, this species is known only from the

Katberg Katberg is a hamlet high up in Raymond Mhlaba Municipality, Amathole District Municipality, in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. ...

forest in

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

References

Endemic fauna of South Africa Onychophorans of temperate Africa Onychophoran species Animals described in 2013 {{Onychophora-stub