栉蚕亦可称天鹅绒虫、黏液虫等；陆生，外形像毛毛虫，足多且成对，头部有须，体表有环但不分节，兼具节肢动物与环节动物的部分特征，是有爪动物门的代表性生物。昆虫学家认为栉蚕是环节动物与节肢动物演进之间的链接。

栉蚕是夜行性的猎食动物。它会从头部两侧的触须喷出白色液体裹住猎物－通常是其他小昆虫；液体一接触空气就会硬化，使得猎物无法挣脱；接着在以下颚在猎物的外骨骼上开洞，注入消化酵素；最后吸食已半消化的猎物糜液。

Peripatus is one genus of Onychophora (velvet worms). The name peripatus (unitalicized) is also used to refer to the Onychophora as a whole, although this group comprises at least 48 other genera besides Peripatus.