The form found in the British Isles is closely similar to Dendy’s animal from Ballarat and is now called Australoplana sanguinea var. This was subsequently synonymised with Moseley’s species. Dendy later described a similar but paler species from material collected near Ballarat in Victoria. The Australian flatworm was described by Moseley in 1877 from material collected in south–eastern Australia. The pharynx is pushed out of the body cavity when feeding and envelops the prey, secreting a digestive fluid on to it. The mouth or pharynx is located on the underside about one third the way down from the head. These are light sensitive organs or ‘eyes’ which help the animal to navigate. On close examination a row of brownish or blackish dots is visible along the pale margin, being dense and close together near the head but sparse and well separated towards the tail. The head end is slender and more extendible than the hind end. The body comes to a point at each end and is a buff, peachy or pale reddish colour with more intense blood–red or brownish red shades near the head end. The body is also not so flat as the New Zealand flatworm, being slightly domed in cross–section with only a small part of the middle of the underside contacting the ground when it is moving, as can be seen in the photograph. When moving it can be up to 75mm (3”) long but at rest, less than half that. Unlike the New Zealand flatworm this species does not form coils in its resting state but is usually laid out lengthwise in the soil. The situation may be very different, however, in the south of Ireland. Because of its smaller size and rarity in Northern Ireland, it does not compare with the abundant and voracious New Zealand flatworm in its effect upon earthworm populations. This animal is a predator of native earthworms. Unlike earthworms, flatworms have no annulations or rings on the body and are completely smooth. The Australian flatworm is a medium–sized strap–like, flattened worm with a brownish–red to buff upper surface tinged deep peach to blood–red towards the narrowly pointed head end, and with a paler buff underside. Australoplana sanguinea, Australian flatworm
0 kommentar(er)
