Flatworm - trying to identify

[jdeveaux]

I originally found one of these in 2007 and have since discovered not just one but two more....Now I really want to learn more about these things.

Up until now I haven't given them much thought beyond common curiosity but now I've caught them in action.

A couple of weeks I found one with two of my large Super Tongan Nassarius snails wrapped up in its body - pictures didn't turn out well since it was after lights out and I forgot to put the memory card in the camera

Some observations:

• Ultra thin - thinner than paper
• Sticks to the surface areas - I've never seen it swimming
• Very fast and elusive
• I've only every found them at night.
• They break apart easily making them harder to catch for fear of them breaking apart in multiplying.
• I've tried siphoning them but they move too fast.
• Looks like I'm going to be doing some LR dips.
• Now I know they can get up to at least 4.5 inches.
• Depending on lighting and whats under them their color varies from lavender to brownish

Now the pictures...

The first encounter - and a great shot to show just how hard they are to find

That one was about 2.5 inches when it stretched out...Here are a few more pictures of it. This is from the October 2007 capture

The newest find and largest so far.

You can see how delicate they are. Lured this one out onto the sand bed and snagged it with tongs and a siphon for the bits.

Let me know if you have any thoughts or a possible ID. If there are any of you invert nuts that would like me to capture and keep one of these alive let me know and I'll do my best.

 

[flyyyguy]

its a polyclad. A predatory flatworm that generally preys on snails and clams, but I can tell you fuirsthand that they can survive for many, many months without any clams or snails to eat, so who knows what else they can survive on

I still find them every now and then and the first one I found was around 5 years ago

 

[jdeveaux]

Yeah my first indication that I had a problem was when i lost my clam that was 7 years old and after I found that first flatworm I thought I might be in the clear after a couple of months and attempted to add a new clam but it was killed and so every night I'm hunting for these guys. I tried a dip on a rock I knew one was hiding in but that didn't kill it.

I know where one is right now but now I need to decide if I'm going to bust my orange cap to get to it.

 

[LovenBama]

polyclad flatworm for sure.....found one myself that looks like the first pic just last week, found it in the filter sock of all places....I've been trying to get the exact ID but haven't had any luck so far cause there are hundreds of speices .

 

[jdeveaux]

One thing I'm trying to figure out is; can they guys grow back from just parts that tear off?

Are they able to reproduce just by splitting?

 

[The Shrimp X]

Okay, I just found one of these pieces of **** Devouring my Clam. I was able to siphon it out but some tiny fragments got blown in the current. CAN THESE THINGS grow back from pieces?!?!?!

 

[LeslieH]

From tiny pieces? It's unlikely. If the worm in split into a couple of big pieces both might regenerate. Reproduction by asexual fission is well documented in some freshwater species & for ones in the class Turbellaria (especially Planaria) but not that much is known about regeneration of multiple individuals in marine polyclad flatworms.