CBS NEWS – A state agency in Maine is warning residents about an invasive species that can sicken your pet. The Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife posted last week about a “hammerhead worm” that’s been sighted several times over the past few years.
The worms, also known as land planarians, earn their name from their heads that are reminiscent of a hammerhead shark.
They are native to southeast Asia but have been in the U.S. since 1891, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Hammerhead worms are mostly found in the Southeast but have been moving up the East Coast.
“If they become established in Maine, they may impact soil composition and native plant growth,” the department said in a Facebook post.
They can also make pets sick if ingested and irritate human skin … read more
Terrestrial Flatworms, Land Planarians & Hammerhead Worms in North Carolina
N.C. Cooperative Extension – Flatworms are a diverse group of animals in the phylum Platyhelminthes. Although most are fully aquatic, there are many species that exist on land in moist, terrestrial habitats, particularly those in the family Geoplanidae.
These worms are often variously called land planarians, terrestrial flatworms, or hammerhead worms (specific to a particular group; see Identification section for discussion).
Terrestrial flatworms are most diverse in the tropics, especially SE Asia, Australia, Africa, and South America. Human trade and movement of items that can contain these worms (for example potted plants and soil) has aided their spread across the world.
Some species are now widespread. Several species exist in North Carolina, either being native, long-established exotic species, or newly introduced species. For example, the alien-looking hammerhead worm Bipalium kewense has been in North Carolina since at least the 1950s.
In recent years these worms may have increased in numbers; alternatively awareness of them has increased, possibly due to widespread use of digital cameras and the internet allowing the public to recognize these creatures more readily.
NC State University and local agencies are not currently tracking species that are already known to exist in the state, but are interested in knowing whether people encounter new species, especially non-hammerhead forms …
