''Bipalium vagum'' is a
land planarian
Geoplanidae is a family of flatworms known commonly as land planarians or land flatworms.
These flatworms are mainly predators of other invertebrates, which they hunt, attack and capture using physical force and the adhesive and digestive proper ...
in the subfamily
Bipaliinae. It has been accidentally introduced in the United States,
Bermuda
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and various islands in the Caribbean
and was recorded for the first time in Europe, in Italy, in 2021.
Description
''Bipalium vagum'' is a relatively small species of ''Bipalium'', measuring about in length. The head varies from entirely black to dark brown with two black patches separated by a lighter ground color. The neck has a black collar interrupted only at the creeping sole. The dorsal color of the body is light brown and a broad black stripe runs longitudinally from the black collar to the posterior end. Laterally, there are two diffuse dark brown stripes.
Feeding Habits
Differently from other invasive species of ''Bipalium'', which feed on earthworms, ''B. vagum'' seems to feed exclusively on
gastropod
The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda ().
This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...
s. As it seems to be spreading throughout the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
and southern United States, there is certain concern on its possible impacts on the native gastropod fauna.
French Guiana
French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...
Figure 16 (PeerJ 4672) - Bipalium vagum - Guadeloupe.png, ''Bipalium vagum'' from Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
Figure 17 (PeerJ 4672) - Bipalium vagum - Martinique.png, ''Bipalium vagum'' from Martinique
Martinique ( , ; gcf, label=Martinican Creole, Matinik or ; Kalinago: or ) is an island and an overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France. An integral part of the French Republic, Martinique is located in th ...
References
{{Taxonbar, from=Q2312309
Geoplanidae