Bipalium
Sign in to saveBipalium is a genus of large predatory land planarians. They are often loosely called "hammerhead worms" or "broadhead planarians" because of the distinctive shape of their head region. Land planarians are unique in that they possess a "creeping sole", a highly ciliated region on the ventral epidermis that helps them to creep over the substrate. Native to Asia, several species are invasive to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Some studies have begun the investigation of the evolutionary ecology of these invasive planarians.
Taxonomy · GBIF
GENUS
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumPlatyhelminthes
- OrderTricladida
- FamilyGeoplanidae
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Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- taxon
- Parent taxon
- Bipaliinae
- Image
- Bipalium strubelli.JPG
Show 2 more facts
- P105
- genus
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Article
10 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Description
- Feeding habits
- Reproduction
- Toxicity
- Invasive species
- Image gallery
- Species
- References
- External links
Bipalium is a genus of large predatory land planarians. They are often loosely called "hammerhead worms" or "broadhead planarians" because of the distinctive shape of their head region. Land planarians are unique in that they possess a "creeping sole", a highly ciliated region on the ventral epidermis that helps them to creep over the substrate. Native to Asia, several species are invasive to the United States, Canada, and Europe. Some studies have begun the investigation of the evolutionary ecology of these invasive planarians.
== Etymology == The name Bipalium comes from Latin bi-, "two" + pala, "shovel" or "spade", because species in this genus resemble a pickaxe.