The onychophores ( Onychophora ) are animal terrestrial from 1 to 15 cm length, segmented, carrying a pair of appendices - called lobopodes - not articulated on each segment. They can count of 15 with more than 40 segments.
The name " Onychophore" comes from the Greek " Ονυχοϛ" (nail) and " Φορειν" (To carry) wants literally to say " who carries ongles" in reference to the claws which the lobopodes have.
First Onychophores
- Xenusion , a fossil found in Sweden in Precambrian sediments of glacial origin, known only by two specimens seems to be oldest fossil Onychophore.
- Several species are present in the fauna of Chengjiang, in China: Cardiodictyon, Hallucigenia , Luolishania , Magadictyon , Microdictyon , Onychodictyon , Paucipodia and others.
- Two species of the Schists of Burgess Aysheaia and Hallucigenia seem to be of Onychophores
With the difference of Onychophores current, these fossil forms all marine and are deprived of apparatus masticator.
The anomalocarides are regarded by certain authors as intermediaries between the onychophores and the arthropods (this theory does not achieve the unanimity). Thus, at present, the exact relations between the Tardigrades, the Arthropods and the onychophores remain to be established.
Internal bonds
External bonds
- "Document pdf on the site of INRA"
| Random links: | Two Men in the city | Welded | Francis Hauksbee | Spring waters of Vichy | Alexander Berzin |