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Austraplana alba
A dorso-ventrally flattened smooth worm which when first spotted looked like a piece of shiny plastic about 10 mm long (pic 3). When moistened it extended its body to about 4 times the length with the front end narrowing to a pointy tip. It appeared to be desperately seeking a moist dark place.
The flatworm was a pale orange with the colour deepening towards the head end. The tail end was paler and was truncated.
The first photo shows the worm amongst numerous small springtails.
Spotted in soil in a drip tray under a pot plant. A member of the Australoplana alba complex, this species occurs in Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia & New South Wales.
A.alba complex.
These are carnivorous worms living on earthworms and other creatures found in leaf litter and soil.
These wroms are said to have minute eyes around the anterior tip, extending along the lateral margins all the way to the posterior end.
For further information from an expert please see
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/382...
https://bie.ala.org.au/species/urn:lsid:...
Phylum: Platyhelminthes
Spotted on Oct 21, 2017
Submitted on Oct 22, 2017
2 Comments
They are very interesting creatures Jim. I am hoping to see some of the more brightly coloured ones - there are some beauties !
Based on the characteristics you outline, Leuba, these worms are almost supernatural...very interesting!