A natural enemy of carnivorous flatworms

What is it about?

Land flatworms are carnivorous and are considered to be top-predators in their natural ecosystems. The potential impact of invasive land flatworms on prey populations has caused widespread concern. In this work we reported for the first time about the predation by a carnivorous snail on various Neotropical species of land flatworms and the cosmopolitan flatworm Bipalium kewense.

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Why is it important?

The present work is the first record of predation on land flatworms by a carnivorous snail. The experiments indicated that the snail can easily be maintained in laboratory, being an appropriate test organism for experimental studies. The feeding behavior and role of carnivorous invertebrates in terrestrial environments are poorly known. Information on the diet of many carnivorous invertebrates is scarce, as is the case also for most land gastropods and flatworms.