Perched on the Plateau: Speciation in a Cape Fold Mountain Velvet Worm Clade, With the Description of Seven New Species (Onychophora: Peripatopsidae: ) From South Africa.

During the present study, we re-examined species boundaries in three mountain-dwelling velvet worm species complexes ( and .) along the Cape Fold Mountains of South Africa. We obtained DNA sequence data for both the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit one () and the nuclear loci. Phylogenetic inferences were derived with the use of maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference coupled with a divergence time estimation. Four species delimitation methods (ASAP, bPTP, bGYMC and STACEY) together with gross morphological analyses and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to validate the diagnosis of novel species. Combined phylogenetic results demonstrated the presence of three geographically discrete clades (A-C). Corroborative evidence for the novel lineages could be derived from the dorsal integument colour of live specimens and fixed dorsal and ventral papilla scales rank counts. The four species delimitation methods produced variable results. Divergence time estimations indicated that the Miocene epochs was a major period of cladogenesis. The seven novel velvet worm species, ., ., ., ., ., ., and ., are herein described.