Caenoplana coerulea

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Caenoplana coerulea
Caenoplana coerulea.jpg
Caenoplana coerulea, the Blue Planarian.
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Animalia
Phylum:
Platyhelminthes
Class:
Rhabditophora
Order:
Tricladida
Family:
Geoplanidae
Subfamily:
Rhynchodeminae
Tribe:
Caenoplanini
Genus:
Caenoplana
Species:
C. coerulea
Binomial name
Caenoplana coerulea
Moseley, 1877

Caenoplana coerulea, known as the Blue Planarian or Blue Garden Flatworm is a species of land planarian.

Description[]

This is a long narrow flatworm, which is shiny black or dark brown on the upper surface, and mid-blue underneath (hence the specific epithet and the common name of "blue planarian".) There is a narrow creamy/fawn coloured longitudinal stripe running down the center of the upper surface. Multiple eyespots are present. The head on some individuals has a pinkish appearance. The adult length is 6 to 12 cm.

Range[]

This flatworm's native range is eastern Australia and New Zealand. This species has however been accidentally introduced to the Balearic Islands,[1] Argentina,[2] Canary Islands,[3] France,[4] and the USA (including California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, South Carolina and Iowa).[5]

Habitat[]

It is found in moist forest areas, and during drier periods it shelters under rocks, rotting logs and in leaf litter. It is often seen after periods of heavy rain.

Life habits[]

This planarian is a predator of a variety of invertebrates on the forest floor. It is known to feed on several arthropod groups, such as woodlice, millipedes and earwigs, as well as on land snails.[2]

Gallery[]

Showing color variation and more detail

  • Caenoplana coerulea

  • Caenoplana coerulea

  • Caenoplana coerulea

  • Caenoplana coerulea upturned

References[]

  1. ^ Breugelmans, Karin; Quintana Cardona, Josep; Artois, Tom; Jordaens, Kurt; Backeljau, Thierry (2012). "First report of the exotic blue land planarian, Caenoplana coerulea (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae), on Menorca (Balearic Islands, Spain)". ZooKeys (199): 91–105. doi:10.3897/zookeys.199.3215. ISSN 1313-2970. PMC 3368283. PMID 22711997.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b Luis-Negrete, Lisandro; Brusa, Francissco; Winsor, Leigh (2011). "La planaria terrestre azul Caenoplana coerulea, un invasor en Argentina". Revista Mexicana de Biodiversidad. 82: 287–291.
  3. ^ Suárez, Daniel; Martín, Sonia; Naranjo, Manuel (2018). "First report of the invasive alien species Caenoplana coerulea Moseley, 1877 (Platyhelminthes, Tricladida, Geoplanidae) in the subterranean environment of the Canary Islands" (PDF). Subterranean Biology. 26: 67–74. doi:10.3897/subtbiol.26.25921. ISSN 1314-2615.
  4. ^ Justine, Jean-Lou; Thévenot, Jessica; Winsor, Leigh (2014). "Les sept plathelminthes invasifs introduits en France". Phytoma (in French). 674: 28–32. doi:10.6084/m9.figshare.1447202. open access
  5. ^ Ogren, R. E. 2001. The Blue Planarian: A New Locality
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