Opisthopatus

Opisthopatus is a genus of South African velvet worms in the family Peripatopsidae. The number of legs in this genus range from 16 pairs (e.g., in O. cinctipes) to 18 pairs (in O. roseus). The feet in this genus feature three distal leg papillae: one anterior, one posterior, and one median. Mothers in this genus give birth to live young. In particular, this genus exhibits matrotrophic viviparity, that is, mothers in this genus retain eggs in their uteri and supply nourishment to their embryos, but without any placenta.

Species
The genus contains the following species:


 * Opisthopatus amatolensis Choonoo, 1947
 * Opisthopatus amaxhosa Daniels et al., 2016
 * Opisthopatus baziya Barnes & Daniels, 2022
 * Opisthopatus camdebooi Barnes & Daniels, 2022
 * Opisthopatus cinctipes Purcell, 1899
 * Opisthopatus drakensbergi Daniels et al., 2016
 * Opisthopatus herbertorum Ruhberg & Hamer, 2005
 * Opisthopatus highveldi Daniels et al., 2016
 * Opisthopatus kwazululandi Daniels et al., 2016
 * Opisthopatus laevis Lawrence, 1947
 * Opisthopatus natalensis Bouvier, 1900
 * Opisthopatus roseus Lawrence, 1947, the pink velvet worm
 * Opisthopatus swatii Daniels et al., 2016