Student's Discovery of Ancient Velvet Worm Illuminates Prehistoric Ecosystems

In a remarkable archaeological find, Rohan Barnard, a third-year Bachelor of Science student at Stellenbosch University, uncovered a previously unknown species of velvet worm, named Peripatopsis barnardi, while exploring the Swartberg Mountains in South Africa's Karoo region. This significant discovery, made in March 2022, marks the first identification of a velvet worm in this area and offers crucial insights into the prehistoric climate and biodiversity of the region. The details of this discovery were published in the journal Ecology and Evolution on June 9, 2025.

Rohan Barnard's interest in the natural world began in his childhood, leading him to assist his older brother on a project that involved collecting velvet worms under the mentorship of Professor Savel Daniels, a zoology lecturer at Stellenbosch University. Their previous expeditions led to the discovery of velvet worms on Table Mountain in 2019. On this particular expedition in the Swartberg Mountains, Barnard was searching for ants and reptiles when he overturned rocks and stumbled upon the slate-black velvet worm hidden beneath sand and leaf litter. Recognizing the rarity of the find, he documented the specimen and uploaded a photograph to the iNaturalist biodiversity observation app, inadvertently attracting the attention of scientific researchers.

Characterized as ‘living fossils,’ velvet worms have a lineage that spans over 500 million years, remaining largely unchanged since the Cambrian period. According to Professor Daniels, this evolutionary significance underlines the resilience of these organisms as they have adapted to various climatic changes and ecological shifts over millennia. The discovery of Peripatopsis barnardi adds to the understanding of the Cape Fold Mountains, an area known for its unique ecosystems that have persisted through significant geological and climatic events.

The significance of Barnard's finding extends beyond mere discovery; it highlights the role of citizen science in modern biodiversity research. Professor Daniels emphasizes the invaluable contributions of amateur scientists in discovering new species, stating, “It is thanks to citizen science data that we were able to identify the new species. In the Cape Fold Mountains, we now know that every mountain peak has an endemic species. This suggests that in unsampled areas, there are likely to be additional novel diversity waiting to be found.”

The historical context of the Cape Fold Mountains, shaped by geological forces and climatic changes, has fostered a unique biodiversity hotspot. The forest patches where velvet worms thrive are traced back to the early Miocene period, roughly 23 to 15 million years ago, when conditions were more temperate and subtropical. However, shifting climates during the late Miocene resulted in a mosaic of habitats, isolating some species and leading to their evolution into distinct forms.

The contribution of Rohan Barnard, facilitated by platforms like iNaturalist, exemplifies how citizen engagement can propel scientific discovery. These platforms enable individuals with a passion for nature to document and share their observations, creating a rich, crowdsourced repository of biodiversity data that aids researchers in identifying previously unknown species.

As further explorations continue in the Cape Fold Mountains, the potential for uncovering additional undiscovered species remains high, with implications for biodiversity conservation and the understanding of ecological resilience in the face of climate change. The ongoing engagement of citizen scientists will likely play a crucial role in these efforts, fostering a greater awareness and appreciation for the intricate web of life that has survived through the ages.