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Invertebrate: Flatworm

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bucky

Post subject: Invertebrate: Flatworm

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:17 am

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:41 pm
Posts: 1647
Location: Gauties .

Ok I got a pic of a very odd looking worm or something here .
Who can id this ?
Size about 30 cm , location Boksburg .

Im thinking alien's .

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francoisd

Post subject:

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:40 am

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Joined: Thu Dec 23, 2004 1:38 pm
Posts: 1989

I've come across 2 of these criters about 10 years back. One was found in a water tank at a holiday home and the other one someone found in their garden.

If I remember correctly these "worms" are in the Class Hirudinea or leeches. Their normal habitat is in the mud of ponds etc.

Sorry I cannot help with more info than this.

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bucky

Post subject:

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 10:48 am

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Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:41 pm
Posts: 1647
Location: Gauties .

Thanks for the reply francoisd , the place I was staying had a small stormwater overflow dam near it and a plot , so I suppose that could be where it came from.

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Wild@Heart

Post subject:

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 6:49 am

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Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 6:51 am
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Location: In a very busy place

I had a girlfriend that looked like that :twisted:

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bucky

Post subject:

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 8:19 am

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:41 pm
Posts: 1647
Location: Gauties .

Looks like I bagged a real corker here , 120 views and nothing solid yet.

Thanks for leaving it open admins

, thats pretty much what I figure about a lot of the animal questions arks .

Francoisd , I tried to research on leeches , hoping that it would lead me somewhere , but the only pics I could find where on little black ones , mostly all sucking on somebody :shock:

, there is not much in the line of leech info.

All you get when you google green leeches , is coming to car reviews (The green beauty stuck to the road like a leech) .

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richardharris

Post subject:

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:48 am

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Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 3:04 pm
Posts: 558
Location: Nottinghamshire UK

The only possibly relevant bit of info on the web I could find is that leeches occur at different sizes up to 200 cm. So either that info was wrong, or this is a huge one, or its not a leech!

Richard

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bucky

Post subject:

Posted: Tue Jan 17, 2006 9:56 am

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:41 pm
Posts: 1647
Location: Gauties .

I took this snap about 6 years ago , and came across it yesterday sorting through old stuff , and had always wondered what the heck it was , so im going on some old and moth eaten memory here.
It may have been around 20cm , but If I can recall was fairly big and gross looking , and left a bit of a slime trail .
I even wondered if it was some sort of snake as it had that solid looking type of body , although I must admit I didnt touch it.

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Pilane

Post subject:

Posted: Fri Jan 20, 2006 9:46 pm

Virtual Ranger

Joined: Fri Jan 14, 2005 8:11 pm
Posts: 472
Location: Somewhere in the Bush

A wild guess... a worm leech (Pharyngobdellida) :roll:

The reason I say this is because of the sucking disc (Acetabulum) on the posterior? side only. A worm leech has no jaws, teeth or sucking disc on the anterior side and therefore swallow the prey whole. Food consists of small invertebrates.

Something interesting.. most leeches feed as blood sucking parasites (sanguivorous), but some feed on invertebrates like the worm leech.

But like I said I am guessing at this stage and will have to check up on this...

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Imberbe

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:37 pm

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:28 am
Posts: 14343
Location: Pretoria, RSA

Hi guys! This had me stumped! :shock:

I had to contact a friend who are much more clued up on these things! I post his reply - in Afrikaans - at the bottom. Will try to translate the most important info!

This is a "landplanarium", Bipalium spp.

Phylum: Platyhelminthes (flatworms)
Class: Turbellaria

It is a type of flatworm. It is not a parasite! Most species in this class is aquatic. This specimen is however found on land, hiding beneath dead plant material, but always in wet areas. They feed on protozoa and other small organisms. It can reach around 60cm. in length.

You were quite lucky to see this, as it is not often seen! :wink:

Quote:

Die wurm is iets waarna wetenskaplik verwys word as Ã¢â‚¬Ëœn landplanarium, Bipalium spp. Hulle behoort tot die Phylum Platyhelminthes (platwurms) en die Klas Turbellaria. Anders as die ander twee Klasse (Trematoda en Cestoda) is die Turbellaria vrylewend, m.a.w nie parasities nie. Die meeste is akwaties alhoewel sommige species, soos die en op die foto, landlewend is. Hulle is egter beperk tot baie klam omgewings waar hulle onder blare en ander planmateriaal lewe. Hulle voed op protozoa en ander klein organisms. Die landplanarias is die reuse van die Turbellaria en word tot 60 cm lank. In totaal is daar al iets soos 3 000 species turbelaria is beskryf.

Dit is egter nie iets wat mens elke dag sien.

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Last edited by Imberbe on Sat Jan 21, 2006 8:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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CurtisDillon

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:25 pm

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Joined: Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:27 pm
Posts: 161
Location: Sir Lowry's Pass

I have been waiting for the answer, because I did not have a clue what this thing was. It looked like some plumbers tool to me. :shock:

I'm telling you, I have a lot to learn.

I have never heard of a flatworm.

Thank you, I really found this interesting! :thumbs_up:

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Meandering Mouse

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 5:19 pm

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Joined: Tue Jun 07, 2005 8:47 pm
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Location: meandering between senility and menopause
FAC Member (2011)

One of the most revolting things I have seen.
Is there not a species of flat worm that lives as a parasite in animal or human gut?
The only thing that has looked quite as gross to me has occured with animal deworming.

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Elsa

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 6:24 pm

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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 6:31 pm
Posts: 7260
Location: Ballito, KZN North Coast, South Africa
FAC Member (2011)

macho mouse wrote:

Is there not a species of flat worm that lives as a parasite in animal or human gut?
The only thing that has looked quite as gross to me has occured with animal deworming.

Are you thinking of the "tapeworm" MM.
I think that is something quite different but also gross I agree.
It is from the class Cestoda.

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SAHGCA-UCT

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:24 pm

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Joined: Thu May 26, 2005 1:16 pm
Posts: 60
Location: UCT Zoology Dept. SA Hunters & Game Conservation Association

hmm abit late but yeah thats a terrestrial flatworm

used to have some in our garden and before zoology entered the family we called it a shovel headed garden worm

they are not harmful as such to humans but they are a big nusance to gardeners because they are designed for the sole purposes of reproduction and earthworm predation, and are increadibly good at both! an unintentional introduction of them into a garden could even destroy the whole earthworm population within a few months. Bad news for the garden. but yes indeed a great sighting

only one discrepency though its not a Bispalum spp. its Bipalium spp.

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Imberbe

Post subject:

Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 7:58 pm

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 12:28 am
Posts: 14343
Location: Pretoria, RSA

Quote:

only one discrepency though its not a Bispalum spp. its Bipalium spp.

Sorry! Typing error! Will "edit" it!

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bucky

Post subject:

Posted: Sun Jan 22, 2006 8:50 pm

Senior Virtual Ranger

Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:41 pm
Posts: 1647
Location: Gauties .

This 1 had me baffled for a good many years , and with no real avenue for figuring out what it was .
Thanks for the identificaton to all those that got it right ,awesome knowledge that some folks on these forums have

.

It did look gross , but was an extremely fascinating creature .
Amazing how every species will have a special predator to keep it in balance .

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