Land Planarian ( Flatworm )

Description:

The Land Planarian, is a most unusual and most intriguing creature. The head is shaped like a half-moon or arrowhead. Other common name: Arrowhead Flatworm. Size: 10 plus inches, and 0.2 to 0.5 inches wide. Both adults and immatures, ( nymphs ) are predators. Prey: Prey includes slugs, and soil-dwelling larvae of harmful insect pests. Will also prey on earthworms. Land Planarians, are gray to brown. They have two distinctive dorsal stripes, that run the length of its body. A sticky mucus membrane, on the lower side of the body, secretes a slime, that helps them to move, much like a slug. Land Planarians, are effective predators, as they will eat slugs, and many types of harmful insect larvae, and also earthworms. Reproduction: Primarily by fragmentation. Also, by eggs. Movement and feeding, occurs at night. Order: Tricladida Family: Geoplanidae Geoplanidae, is a family of flatworms, know commonly as Land Planarians. These flatworms, are predators of other invertebrates, such as: earthworms, slugs, snails, insects, and chelicerates. This flatworm, was 3 inches long. It was brown in color. It's head, was black. It had a black area, below its head, on its body. It had two, black, dorsal stripes, running down the length of its body. The black head, was shaped like a half-moon. This flatworm, was alive and moving.

Habitat:

I saw this flatworm, resting on a pane of glass, on the outside of my house, near the front door. Land Planarians, are found in dark, cool, moist areas, under objects such as: rocks, logs, in debris, or under shrubs, and on the soil surface, following heavy rains. Land Planarians, are also found in caves.

Notes:

I went outside at 7:00 a.m. in the morning. I saw this flatworm, resting on a pane of glass, near the front door, of my house. This flatworm, was 3 inches long. It was brown in color. It had a black head. It had a black area, below its head, on its body. It had two, black, dorsal stripes, running down the length of its body. It's black head, was shaped like a half-moon. This flatworm, was alive and moving.