Most of the time the organisms that possess less value in life go unnoticed. For instance, how many of us noticed a housefly or mosquito, today? If they have irritated we might have, but if not then who cares! Silently many pests go noticed. Surreptitiously, an invasive Platyhelminthes went unnoticed in France for twenty years! Yes, you read it right!
Europe does not only remain in the bucket list of human but also for worms. The Giant Asian worm is the example that has insidiously spread its footprints and generation in many parts of France, thanks to the globalization and climate change. The latest study suggests the invasion of alien species of the “devil bug”, the Asian hornet and the Siberian chipmunk, as well as land flatworms such as Platydemus manokwari (from New Guinea) and Obama nungara (from South America), is real and has been reported from many parts of France.
The finding of the worm dates back to 2013, when Pierre Gros first reported the Giant Flatworms, which were big, predatory, and sported a hammer-like head. The strange worm in the garden made him snap a picture that he sent to the Jean-Lou Justine of the National Museum of Natural History in Paris.
Justine did not believe in the credence of the picture. While Gros buzzed by the giant worm in his garden continued to send the snapshots. Because the Hammerhead belongs to the warmer part of Asia Justin did not believe in him and was annoyed by childish behavior. That eventually led to express his annoyance to the Washington Post: “The man is bringing back worms from his travels, and he pretends he finds them in his garden!”
With no research of the worm, the scientists were flabbergasted when they could not retrieve any research resource to cite on the Giant Flatworm, despite the worm was wandering for 20 years.
The threat to soil biodiversity
The giant Flat Worm feeds on the soil fauna, most importantly, they feed on the earthworm—the friends of farmers that improve soil and plant health. Through research, it has been confirmed that the Bipalium releases the most powerful neurotoxins in the world-tetrodotoxin, a thousand times more toxic than cyanide. The toxin a worm used to kill the prey like earthworms and other helpful creatures in the soil.
Seen yet unnoticed
But, how could a giant worm go unnoticed for 2 decades?
The research in 1996, an editorial in Conservation Biology warned that “naturalists are dying off,” and asked: “Will the next generation of conservation biologists be nothing but a bunch of computer nerds with no firsthand knowledge of natural history?”
Nearly 22 years after the research a relevant question to ask: Are there only a few natural biologists remained who enjoy with nature? In a developed country like France, it took 2 decades to confirm the invasion that has the potential threat to biodiversity. What were the natural biologists doing? Do only a few natural biologists remain? Most probably the pressing topic to research on besides working on climate change and finding avenues to decrease the consequences of globalization!
Susan Thapa is a Science and Technology Editor Intern at Kathmandu Tribune
