Invasive flatworm threat spreads to Florida, Georgia, North Carolina
According to the journal PeerJ, an invasive species of flatworm, Amaga pseudobama, has already appeared in at least three US states: Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
The research team included scientists from the National Museum of Natural History in Paris, Drexel University and North Carolina State University in the United States, James Cook University in Australia, and Dr. Romain Gastineau from the University of Szczecin.
Dr. Gastineau, a specialist in microalgae genomics and the sequencing of mitochondrial genomes of invasive land flatworms at the Institute of Marine and Environmental Sciences of the University of Szczecin, emphasized the significance of this new research interest.
For over a century, hardly anyone has paid attention to these animals, apart from a handful of dedicated invertebrate specialists. However, due to their invasive nature, they are now attracting broad interest, even from those outside the scientific field, he explains.
The worms have spread in Europe, America, and distant islands such as Martinique, Guadeloupe, Réunion, and Tahiti. Scientists point out that they are completely uncontrolled in many of these areas because they have no natural enemies.
Most invasive flatworms originate from Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea. They significantly impact soil ecosystems by eating earthworms and other invertebrates.
The issue with these animals is that they prey on soil invertebrates, primarily targeting earthworms, which are already struggling due to factors like chemical exposure. In certain regions, such as England and Scotland, this has become a significant problem, with earthworm populations declining by around 20%, according to the Polish researcher.
A new invasive flatworm species
The newly discovered land flatworm Amaga pseudobama, first noticed in North Carolina in 2020, is a brown worm a few inches long. It resembles Obama nungara, a predatory species from Brazil and Argentina that has invaded a significant part of Europe, eating small snails, soil-aerating earthworms, and other small animals.
In the South American Tupi language, the word "oba" means "leaf," and "ma" means "animal," referring to the shape of the flatworm's body.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the identification of the new species was delayed. Only after thorough molecular and morphological studies, including a description of the complete mitochondrial genome, could scientists distinguish Amaga pseudobama as a separate species. It is found in Florida, Georgia, and potentially other states. Additionally, other invasive flatworm species, such as Platydemus manokwari, have been discovered in the southern United States.
