“Due to the pandemic, during the lockdowns most of us were home, with our laboratory closed. Both species appear to prey upon small snails, thus potentially placing local snail populations at risk in their current environment. According to the scientists, its origin could be Madagascar. Diversibipalium mayottensis has similar dimensions, but it exhibits a spectacular green-blue iridescence over its brown ground color. Unlike most other flatworm species, it has a uniformly metallic black color. Humbertium covidum is a small (30 mm) flatworm, originating most probably in Asia. Some of them can reach impressive dimensions of up to one meter in length.Ī new study led by the National Museum of Natural History in France has recently identified and described two new species of potentially invasive hammerhead flatworms, Humbertium covidum (discovered in two gardens in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques, France and Veneto, Italy), and Diversibipalium mayottensis (discovered in Mayotte, a French island in the Mozambique Channel from the Indian Ocean). Hammerhead flatworms are a sub-species of land flatworms characterized by their broadened heads. Land flatworms are predators of soil animals, such as slugs, snails, or earthworms, and represent a significant threat to soil biodiversity and ecology when they are introduced into a new environment. Until now, researchers have identified over ten widespread species, including Obama nungara (originally from Argentina), Platydemus manokwari (from New Guinea), and Bipalium kewense (from Southeast Asia). Some of the most disruptive invasive animals are land flatworms, which spread all over the globe mainly through plant trade. One of the negative consequences of globalization is the inadvertent spread of invasive plants and animals, far from their point of origin.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |