Allozyme electrophoresis was used to examine genetic diversity within
live-bearing Peripatopsid Onychophora from the North Island of New Zea
land. Specimens of two previously described morpho-species that differ
in leg number (Peripatoides suteri and P novaezealandiae) were found
to be genetically diverse. P. suteri showed little intraspecific genet
ic variation but were very distinct from specimens assignable to II no
vaezealandiae. Within P. novaezealandiae five genetically differentiat
ed species were identified although none showed any consistent morphol
ogical differentiation, thus P. novaezealandiae (Hutton) is a species
complex. All of these species occur in sympatry or parapatry (in one i
nstance) with other cryptic species of the P. novaezealandiae group or
with P suteri. Four new species are described on the basis of this ge
netic evidence; they are P. morgani, P. aurorbis, P. kawekaensis and P
. sympatrica. Other genotypes encountered indicate further cryptic spe
cies remain unrecognized. Among the North Island species, P. suteri an
d P. aurorbis sp. nov. are both more closely related to undescribed sp
ecies from the South Island than to others examined from the North Isl
and. P. sympatrica sp. nov. exists in sympatry with at least three oth
er species in different parts of its range. The complexity of relation
ships and distributions probably arose through the interaction of low
vagility in peripatus and the active geophysical history of the region
. How these cryptic species persist in sympatry is not known but may b
e linked to differences in ecology not evident in their morphology, an
d/or may indicate recent dispersal from allopatry. (C) 1998 The Linnea
n Society of London.