The velvet worms (Onychophora  literally "claw bearers") are a minor Ecdysozoan phylum. The segmented worm-like organisms have tiny eyes, antennae, multiple pairs of legs and slime glands. Most common in tropical regions of the Southern Hemisphere, they prey on smaller animals such as insects, which they catch by squirting an adhesive slime. In modern zoology they are particularly renowned for their curious mating behaviour and for bearing live young. They are becoming increasingly popular as...
