These creatures are a type of nematode, or roundworm. They are very small, with an average length of about 1 millimeter (0.04 inches). Despite their small size, they can be very harmful to their prey. They are known to feed on small invertebrates, such as insects and other worms. They also have the ability to feed on plant matter.
Best berkley flat worm
The History of the Berkeley Flatworm
The Berkeley flatworm is a small, slimy creature that has been lurking in the dark corners of the University of California, Berkeley, for more than half a century. Though it has been spotted on numerous occasions, the exact origins of this peculiar species remain a mystery. Some believe it may have descended from a group of laboratory flatworms that were released into the wild, while others contend that it is an entirely new species that evolved from the local soil. Whatever its origins, the Berkeley flatworm has become a beloved part of the campus landscape, and its presence is a reminder of the enduring mystery and wonder of nature.
The Berkeley flatworm is a small, unassuming creature, with a dark brown or black body and a pale yellow or white underside. It is usually around 2-5 centimeters in length, though some individuals have been known to grow as long as 10 centimeters. The worm is very slimy, and its skin is smooth and slightly bumpy. It has no eyes or legs, and it moves by contracting its body.
Despite its small size and relatively simple appearance, the Berkeley flatworm is a complex and fascinating creature. It is a hermaphrodite, meaning that it has both male and female reproductive organs, and it is able to self-fertilize. The worm also has a unique way of defending itself against predators. When threatened, it can quickly shed its skin, revealing a bright red underside that is highly irritating to the human eye. The Berkeley flatworm is also able to survive in a wide range of environments, from the damp soil of the forest floor to the dry concrete of the campus walkways.
The exact origin of the Berkeley flatworm remains a mystery. Some believe it may have descended from a group of laboratory flatworms that were released into the wild, while others contend that it is an entirely new species that evolved from the local soil. Whatever its origins, the Berkeley flatworm has become a beloved part of the campus landscape, and its presence is a reminder of the enduring mystery and wonder of nature.
The Berkeley flatworm is a small, unassuming creature, with a dark brown or black body and a pale yellow or white underside. It is usually around 2-5 centimeters in length, though some individuals have been known to grow as long as 10 centimeters. The worm is very slimy, and its skin is smooth and slightly bumpy. It has no eyes or legs, and it moves by contracting its body.
Where the Berkeley Flatworm Lives
The flatworm’s native range includes Great Britain, where it is found only in a single building, the Beaufort Block at the National University of Ireland, Galway. It has also been detected in a single site in Spain (Valldemossa, Mallorca), two sites in France (Nice and Toulouse), and a single site in Germany (Darmstadt).
The flatworm’s native range includes Great Britain, where it is found only in a single building, the Beaufort Block at the National University of Ireland, Galway. It has also been detected in a single site in Spain (Valldemossa, Mallorca), two sites in France (Nice and Toulouse), and a single site in Germany (Darmstadt).
In all these places, the flatworm was found in greenhouses that are warm and humid enough to support the growth of non-native plants from tropical regions. At each of these sites, the flatworm was found on one or more of the following ornamental plants:
Orchid
Bromeliad
Aroid
The flatworm was not found on any of these ornamental plants at sites where it had not been introduced (e.g. England, France, Germany).
At many of the sites where the flatworm has been introduced, it has not been found on any of the above plant species. In these cases, it is not clear what plants (if any) serve as hosts for the flatworm. However, there are other species of plants grown in these greenhouses that could potentially serve as hosts.
Some of these plant species include:
Ferns
Palms
Tree ferns
Peperomia
Calathea
Dieffenbachia
Aglaonema
Dracaena
Spathiphyllum
Ficus
Epipremnum
Cissus
Zamioculcas
Chamaedorea
Maranta
Pilea
Hedera
Flatworms and other invertebrates have been found on all of these plant species except for Hedera (ivy).
The flatworm has been found in greenhouses and conservatories that are used to grow ornamental plants. These include botanical gardens, universities, and private residences.
It is not clear how the flatworm was introduced to these sites. It is possible that it was introduced on plants that were imported from other countries, or that it was introduced on equipment or other objects that were imported from other countries.
The flatworm has not been found in any natural habitats outside of greenhouses and conservatories.
Flatworms are hermaphroditic, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs. They can also produce offspring asexually, through fragmentation. This means that a single flatworm can produce multiple offspring.
The Berkeley flatworm is an incredibly successful species
How to Spot a Berkeley Flatworm
Berkeley’s most famous export is probably the “eureka” exclamation, but it might be better known for the Berkeley flatworm. These brightly colored, highly invasive slugs are found throughout the world in places as far-flung as South Africa, Australia, and Russia. They are also all over Berkeley, where they eat native wildlife, foul garden plants, and generally annoy homeowners.
But the flatworm isn’t a worm at all; it’s a type of terrestrial slug. The bright colors that appear in gardens across the East Bay are actually the result of a complex symbiotic relationship between two different species, and there’s still a lot we don’t know about them. However, UC Berkeley naturalists have come up with a few ways to spot them in your own backyard.
The first step in spotting a flatworm is finding its favorite food source. In Berkeley, that means checking around the base of the city’s iconic eucalyptus trees, since the flatworms’ favorite food is the fallen bark.
Why the Berkeley Flatworm Is So Dangerous
There’s a small creature in Europe that looks harmless enough—it’s only a couple of inches long, after all. But when it comes to the environment, the Berkeley flatworm is a catastrophe in the making.
The small brown flatworm has made its way from its native Southeast Asia all the way to the United Kingdom, and it’s expanding its range across the continent. It preys on earthworms, which it pulls apart and eats alive. “It’s a bit gruesome, but it’s evolution,” says Merlin Tandiman, a PhD student at the University of Helsinki. “The flatworm does it because it’s more fit than the earthworm, evolutionarily.”
Tandiman and his colleagues recently showed that the Berkeley flatworm is also a vector for a fungus that’s deadly to earthworms. That fungus, known as Bd, is already responsible for devastating wild populations of earthworms in places like the US and Japan. Now, it looks like Europe could be next.
Bd is a “pathogen of global importance,” according to the European Union’s science advisory body. It attacks the earthworms’ skin, and they either die or become so weak they can’t move. The fungus grows on their skin, making it look like the victim has been dusted with flour.
Scientists first discovered the fungus in the early 20th century, when amateur naturalists in the US noticed that certain frog populations were declining. Further investigation showed that Bd was killing the frogs by attacking their skin. The fungus was likely brought over from Asia, where it doesn’t harm frogs. It’s thought to have arrived in the US inside a shipment of plants.
The fungus has been wreaking havoc on amphibians ever since. Tandiman’s research shows that the Berkeley flatworm is an effective vector for the fungus, meaning it can carry it from one place to another. Earthworms are an important part of soil ecosystems, and if they disappear, so does all the other life in the soil that depends on them.
“It’s not just earthworms we could lose,” says Tandiman. “All the other invertebrates and microbes that live in the soil could disappear as well.”
It’s not just earthworms we could lose. All the other invertebrates and microbes that live in the soil could disappear as well.
The Berkeley Flatworm’s Lifecycle
The flatworm’s life cycle starts when a female lays her eggs in a jelly-like sac. When the eggs hatch, the flatworms (called larvae) look like tiny adults. They swim around eating small animals until they are big enough to settle down on the bottom of the ocean and start the next phase of their life cycle.