urbpan | 365 Urban Species. #291: Terrestrial flatworm.

Photographs by

cottonmanifesto.

Urban species #291: Terrestrial flatworm Bipalium adventitium

I'm making a more conjectural species identification this time than I usually do, if you can believe that. Bipalium adventitium is a species known to be in the United States from Illinois to New York, and spreading. I'm still waiting to hear from someone at the Harvard Museum of Comparative Zoology to see if an identification to species is even possible. This type of animal I have seen exactly three times, each time under debris in the wooded part of Olmsted Park in Boston. What's reasonably certain is that this is an exotic animal, most likely introduced inadvertently with tropical plants or soil from Southeast Asia or Indonesia. When the flatworm specialist comes back from vacation, hopefully these photographs along with the dead specimen pickled in 70% alcohol in a vial on my mantel, will provide enough information to positively verify it's taxonomy and origin.

Terrestrial flatworms are predatory animals, in the group Platyhelminthes, a phylum more well-known for its many parasitic members. Of course, painting the terrestrial flatworm with the same broad brush applied to the liver fluke or tapeworm is about as fair as condemning all vertebrates for their relation to the kandiru, the tiny catfish whose existence makes urinating while swimming in the Amazon ill advised. That said, it can't be described as a beautiful creature, unless one has an uncommonly agreeable attitude toward natural beauty. Flattened and flaccid, yet muscular and sluglike, secreting a thick sticky mucus, and, when disturbed, forever waving its mushy little hammerhead around, it's certainly distinctive. Unlike its more famous relatives that spend most of their lives inside the bodies of other animals, this creature and its ilk feed on earthworms, tackling prey many times their own size. A terrestrial flatworm introduced to Ireland from New Zealand (an island group usually on the short end of the "alien invasive" stick) is eating through the annelid fauna of the Emerald Isle at an alarming rate. The ecological damage to Ireland, its soil, its crops, and its natural landscape has yet to be fully calculated, but the situation is worrying. Whether this flatworm in Boston is a cause for distress or not, is something I hope to determine.

Dear Dr./Mr Taylor,

Thanks so much for your email. No need to wait for Harvard, the animal in the
photo is almost definitely Bipalium adventitium. My students and I have
continued to work with this species and its relatives. This species is now
found from coast to coast from VA to MA and CA to OR. Boston should be right
near the northern extent of its range.

We are currently studying the animals from both ecological and molecular
perspectives. We would welcome new live specimens for use in either behavioral
expermeints or on-going DNA sequencing. I would be happy to pay for the
shipping of a few individuals, but since this is not covered by any grants, I'm
trying to pay only for shipments of more than one individual. If you are
interested and have some to send, I'd be happy to send you directions for their
safe shipment.

If you'd like additional information about our work, I'd be happy to send copies
of some of our papers about these amazing beasts.

Thanks again for letting me know about your find. We are maintaining a database
on the distribution of these flatworms in North America.

Sincerely,

Pete Ducey
Department of Biological Sciences
State University of New York at Cortland
Cortland, NY 13045

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

earlier before sunset, I found at the base of my fuji apple tree a flat worm just like the ones in the photos, that shovel or spade head, it is about 3 1/2 inches long, wow, I don't want these here, we need the worms and we have lots in our ground. What can we do.

Since 3 June 2010, I have captured over 500 Microplana terrestris (Land Planarian) in my yard in Sacramento (Arden-Arcade), CA. This morning, I observed my first Bipalium adventitium (Terrestrial flatworm) devouring an earthworm. I have no exotic plants and neither do my neighbors. The only plantings I put in about 10 years ago were some bare root roses and a hydrangea plant (no worms around those plantings).

The disturbing pattern I am beginning to see (just an observation, no scientific methodology) is that these creatures seem to be emanating from areas where a commercial combination mulch, seed, and fertilizer product was applied 2 and 3 years ago.

The first application was by the local water utility after they dug up everyone's lawn to upgrade service (about 3 years ago). I thought it worked so well, that the next year I bought some and applied it to a few patchy areas in the back. These are the areas I am seeing the largest congregation of the flatworms. They are in other places, but to nowhere the extent they are in those specific areas.

Just a thought to throw out there.

We just found one of these today inside of our Dental Office! Have no clue how it got in but we are located in North Carolina.

I found several bright yellow, tan stripped worms (more like a sluggy leach) in my back yard. I grew up near a creek so it looked enough like a leach that I didnt touch it. I dont know if they are still in my back yard, it was 20 years ago. I live in Orangevale California. I dont use pesticides or herbicides.

daniel

I've found a flat worm inside my bed room. It was rained and I saw something weird on the floor, it looks like a brown ribbon. I'm from Indonesia. That was the first time I saw it. They traveled so far.

I found one of these critters crawling across the brickwork to the entrance of my house yesterday... very interesting & also the my first encounter with one of these animals.

I just saw my first land planarian this morning on my driveway in San Anselmo, CA. It has been raining lightly through the night and the sky has been overcast all day. I found it to be a bit scary at first as I had never seen or heard of such a worm. Thanks to Google and your site for the information.

I noticed this slimy thing next to my living room chair and threw it in the garbage. Then it moved.... a disgusting and fascinating creature. Looked in Google images and here I am certain that it is what you have found...... I learned my mother found one two days ago in the same room. It was so sticky and and left a kind of resin on my fingers. My mother made it INSTANTLY throw the whole trash bag in the bin out back......... wierd!!!!

Crazy. Good site. I was hoping the winter would kill them. Apparently not. Also I originally found them in my garden- either came in six pack planters or the manure. Today I found one very far away from garden. Can they survive the intestinal juices of a Chicken? I've read you can chop them up and you'll have that many more - what a foul creature.

Some flatworms can be bisected and survive, but not this species. I would imagine being eaten by a chicken would kill them but I'm not sure what it would do to the chicken.

Thanks for the report!

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365 Urban Species. #291: Terrestrial flatworm.

flat worm

Land Planarian, Terrestrial flatworm and a commercial seed mix?

Found in NC

I wondered what that sucker was

Flatworm in my room

From Northern California.

Bipalium flatworm

found two inside on orange county ca.

Found them in Chester, Vermont in 2011 and 2012!

Re: Found them in Chester, Vermont in 2011 and 2012!