# Totally Radula! (DD-292)

> Velvet worms (Onychophora) are soft, many-legged invertebrates of humid tropical and southern temperate forests. They hunt small invertebrates by squirting a sticky slime from glands near the head that hardens and traps the prey, then inject saliva and eat it. There are two living families, Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae, and species range from tiny to the largest known, Mongeperipatus solorzanoi of Costa Rica, at about 22 cm. Velvet worms live in Southeast Asia, but I couldn't verify a species called the 'giant red velvet worm' there or the 20 cm figure for it. The title's 'radula' is a pun: a radula is a mollusk's rasping tongue, which velvet worms don't have; they bite with jaws. The footage shows a reddish velvet worm walking over moss.

- Department: Nature
- First published: 2024-08-08
- Last updated: 2024-08-08
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/totally-radula/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-292-F01**: Velvet worms trap prey with sticky slime. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Slime attack))_
- **DD-292-F02**: The largest known velvet worm reaches about 22 cm. _(Write-up · Exhibit D (Largest species))_

## Write-up

Velvet worms catch prey by shooting slime. The largest known velvet worm reaches 22 cm.

1. **Velvet worms**: Velvet worms (Onychophora) are soft, many-legged forest invertebrates.
2. **Slime attack**: They trap prey by squirting a sticky slime from glands near the head.
3. **Two families**: The two living families are Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae.
4. **Largest species**: The largest known species, Mongeperipatus solorzanoi, reaches about 22 cm.
5. **Jaws, not a radula**: Velvet worms bite with jaws; a radula belongs to mollusks.

## Related case files

- [Chordodes Formosanus (DD-596)](https://detailenjoyer.com/case/chordodes-formosanus/): I paired it with another strange invertebrate

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: 'The giant red velvet worm... reaching up to 20 cm': I couldn't verify that name or size for a Southeast Asian species. The largest known velvet worm, about 22 cm, is from Costa Rica.
- **Title note**: velvet worms have jaws, not a radula; I read the title as a pun.

## Video: Totally Radula!: Velvet Worms Catch Prey by Shooting Slime

- Duration: 26.3 s · Published: 2024-08-08
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/C-ZWmAVu9cf.mp4

### Transcript

DID YOU KNOW? The giant red velvet worm is a fascinating velvet worm found in the rainforests of Southeast Asia, noted for its striking reddish hue and impressive size reaching up to 20 cm in length. This invertebrate preys on insects and other small animals. It hunts using a unique method ejecting a sticky slime from its specialized glands to immobilize its prey before consuming it. The giant red velvet worm's unique appearance and predatory strategy make it a remarkable example of the diverse lifeforms in tropical ecosystems. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: What group do velvet worms belong to?**  
A: They're not true worms. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Velvet worms) · Wikipedia: Onychophora)_

**Q: How do velvet worms catch prey?**  
A: The slime hardens on the prey. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Slime attack) · Wikipedia: Onychophora)_

**Q: How many living families are there?**  
A: Peripatidae and Peripatopsidae. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Two families) · Wikipedia: Onychophora)_

**Q: How long is the largest known velvet worm?**  
A: It's from Costa Rica. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Largest species) · Wikipedia: Onychophora)_

**Q: What do velvet worms bite with?**  
A: A radula is a mollusk feature. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Jaws, not a radula) · Wikipedia: Onychophora)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Onychophora](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onychophora)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Totally Radula!." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-292, last updated Aug 8, 2024. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/totally-radula/