The Giant Velvet Worm is a member of a primitive but successful group of animals known from the fossil record back to the Cambrian. The species has a pink/mauve coloured cylindrical body with a pale underside extending to about 75 mm in length when walking. It has 15 pairs of stubby, non-jointed legs. The Giant Velvet Worm is carnivorous and hunts at night. The species occurs in dry and wet eucalypt forest in shaded, moist areas such as stream sides, and is often found in decaying logs or deep litter. It has a restricted range, in the Scamander/St Helens area, and is found from near sea level to about 500 m.
Threats come from the loss of habitat, including removal of rotting logs by conversion of native forest to plantation or agriculture, too frequent or high intensity fire and firewood collection.
A complete species management profile is not currently available for this species. Check for further information on this page and any relevant
Activity Advice.
