
Community identification
New Guinea Flatworm
Platydemus manokwari
- Order & Family
- Order Tricladida, Family Geoplanidae
- Size
- 40 mm to 65 mm (1.6 to 2.6 inches) in length and about 4 mm to 7 mm wide.
Natural Habitat
Found in soil, leaf litter, and under rocks/logs in tropical and subtropical regions; often invasive in gardens and greenhouses.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous predator primarily feeding on land snails, earthworms, and other soil-dwelling invertebrates.
Behavior Patterns
Active mainly at night or in damp conditions to avoid drying out; they move by gliding on a film of mucus and can follow the slime trails of snail prey.
Risks & Benefits
Extremely invasive; poses a high risk to biodiversity by decimating native snail populations. Can carry the rat lungworm parasite (Angiostrongylus cantonensis), which is a risk to humans if the worm or its mucus is accidentally ingested.