By Mindy Weisberger, Senior
Writer | May 22, 2018 01:04pm ET
For nearly two decades, sizable,
squishy invaders have been stealthily infiltrating French ecosystems and
preying on small, soil-dwelling creatures.
The invaders are giant hammerhead
flatworms — brightly colored specimens that look like earthworms on steroids.
They have muscular, colorful bodies topped with elongated heads resembling
those of hammerhead sharks, though on a much smaller scale. The worms can
measure more than 1 foot (40 centimeters) in length, and they occupy a range of
ecosystems on land, gobbling up earthworms and other invertebrate prey.
And for almost 20 years, five
invasive species of these worms have been detected in parts of France and in
French territories, according to a new study collecting reports of sightings
dating back to 1999. Though the worms were first spotted decades ago, this is
the first study to investigate the extent of their invasion and to question
what it might mean for the ecosystems that they overrun. [In
Photos: Worm Grows Heads and Brains of Other Species]
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