The problem of invasive species reaches almost every corner of the globe and every plant and animal genus, including worms. In the last years, many scientific teams around the world studied invasive species of worms. Despite being almost unnoticed by the majority of world’s populations, these invading worms may be altering habitats of other animals. Now, giant predators flatworms invaded France, according to a new study.
A recent scientific publication is disseminating the results obtained by a research team in a study in which it has been determined that giant predator flatworms are present in France.
In various locations in France, both urban and rural, the presence of various invasive species of worms belonging to the terrestrial plank worm group, some of which are very large in size, has been proved.
Giant flatworms of up to 40 centimeters in length invaded France in the last 20 years
The team led by Jean-Lou Justine of the National Museum of Natural History, in Paris, in France, has detailed the presence of species up to 40 centimeters in length, such as the hammerhead (Bipalium kewense and its various subspecies) and the Diversibipalium multilineatum worm.
Also, the smallest flatworm species, the New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) has also been discovered.
The data collected in this scientific article do not allow us to determine the extent of the alleged invasion of flatworms in France because it is limited to describing some very specific and isolated cases.
One of the important elements of the study is that the authors are surprised by the fact that worms up to 40 centimetres in length are invading a developed European country, such as France, for more than two decades without any administration or scientific authority proposing in-depth studies of their possible effects on the environment, as well as the measures to address them.
