Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Onychophora
Class: Udeonychophora (Velvet Worms)

Udeonychophora is a class within the phylum Onychophora containing a very small group of terrestrial animals commonly known as peripatus or 'velvet worms' because of their velvety appearance. These ancient creatures are sometimes referred to as living fossils because the fossil record indicates that they have not changed their appearance in a very long time. Present-day species are restricted to moist, dark micro-habitats such as in and under rotten logs, under stones, in leaf litter, and within crevices in rocks or soil. Peripatus are nocturnal predators which trap their prey by squirting it with a sticky substance that is expelled from a pair of modified limbs, the oral papillae, located on either side of the head.