Story: Peripatus

Live young

Live young

New Zealand’s most common peripatus species, Peripatoides novaezelandiae, bears live young that can fend for themselves from birth. Depending on the species, peripatus reproductive strategies vary from egg laying to placental live birth. Ooperipatellus viridimaculatus lays shelled eggs that take months to hatch. Little is known of the breeding behaviour of other New Zealand species.

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How to cite this page:

Paddy Ryan, 'Peripatus - Reproduction', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/13266/live-young (accessed 18 April 2024)

Story by Paddy Ryan, published 24 Sep 2007