The Digestive Enzymes of the Onychophora ( Peripatopsis Spp.)

Abstract

An investigation has been made of the digestive enzymes of Peripatopsis spp. The pH of the gut varies between 6·0 and 8·2; it is usually about 7·0. The salivary glands elaborate amylase, glycogenase, protease and carboxy-polypeptidase. The gut digestive enzymes consist of invertase, maltase, lipase, esterase, amino- and carboxypolypeptidase and dipeptidase. Gelatin is also liquefied by the gut, but at pH 3·0 only. The properties of some of the individual enzymes have been examined.