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Girardia tigrina
Species of flatworm From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Girardia tigrina, known as the brown planarian or the immigrant triclad flatworm, is a species of dugesiid native to the Americas.[1] It has been accidentally introduced into Europe[2] and Japan.[3]
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Description
G. tigrina individuals are around 10 mm in length. They have a head with two broad and short auricles. The two eyes are in two pigment-free patches. The dorsal surface of the body has numerous pigment spots.[3]
Distribution and ecology
Originally from the Americas, Girardia tigrina has become an invasive species in Europe and Japan. Since being first recorded in France in 1925,[4] this species has been reported from many other European countries, including Germany,[5][6] Italy,[7] the Netherlands,[8] Romania,[9] and Wales.[10]
In North Wales, this species has displaced the native triclad species Polycelis nigra and Polycelis tenuis due to its superior exploitation of food.[2]
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Diet
G. tigrina is a carnivorous species that feeds on invertebrates such as oligochaetes, isopods, chironomids, snails, caddisflies, and mayflies.[2]
Karyology
The haploid number is n=8. There are diploid (2n=16) and triploid (3n=24) specimens.[3]
References
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