Definitions

1. noun

A genus of small, worm-like animals that are the most primitive known living relatives of the vertebrates and arthropods.

“The peripatus, found in the tropical rainforests, is an essential component of the ecosystem.”

2. noun

The peripatus is a type of onychophoran, a group of animals that are intermediate in evolution between arthropods and annelids.

“Research on the peripatus has provided valuable insights into the evolution of segmented body plans in animals.”