Land Mollusks and Worms - non-native

Land Planarian (hammerhead flatworm) (Family Geoplanidae) on Feb 7, 2018

Submitter has sample

Description of specimen

Worm. 1.5" long. Brown on top with black stripe, off-white on bottom. Flat. Hammer head (round).

Commentary

None

Resources

Several species of flathead worms have become invasive in the US. They can be difficult to tell apart and are not well-studied. Species reported from Oregon include Bipalium adventitum, Bipalium kewense, and Caenoplana coerulea among others.

Location

Last night I took my dog out around 1 am. We live in a large complex of townhouses, the dog area is covered in wood chips. When we got back I found a worm 1.5 inches long, brown on top, off-white on bottom with a hammer head and a dorsal black stripe. It is likely a Asian Land Planarian. I live in off River Road in Salem.

Expert Reviewer

Mrs. Lindsey Wise
Oregon Biodiversity Information Center, inr.oregonstate.edu/orbic
Oregon iMapInvasives
Institute for Natural Resources
Portland State University

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