Is it a snake? Is it a worm? And guess the name!

Hammerhead flatworm
@JudyEv (325878)
Rockingham, Australia
March 24, 2024 10:36pm CST
I heard about a very interesting creature the other day. I thought it was a snake but it’s actually a flatworm. The genus is ‘Bipalium’ , loosely called ‘hammerhead worms’ or ‘broadhead planarians’ as the head area is shaped like a hammerhead, as you can see in the photo. There are several species and all are hermaphrodite. Some reproduce simply by splitting themselves in two. What I found especially interesting is that the mouth parts are located in the centre of the body. Enzymes are secreted which commence the digestion of their food, which are usually earthworms or snails, although they are also cannibalistic. They are native to Africa and Asia but are now an invasive species in America and possibly other countries. They have no known predators and can be a threat in greenhouses because of their predilection for earthworms. There are certainly some odd-looking creatures on our planet.
21 people like this
24 responses
@TheHorse (205919)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar
Hammerhead? I'm guessing a worm. If I pooped out one of those I would call the Dr immediately!
4 people like this
@vandana7 (98852)
• India
25 Mar
I am curious about its eating habits, and whether it can be part of diets of anything that we eat, like chicken, etc. Evil Grin.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
It's a flatworm. Amazing shape though. And a mouth in the middle of the body! Who'd a thought?
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
@vandana7 Some species are toxic but apparently to other animals they taste horrible so they (the predators, not the worms) leave them (the worms, not the predators) alone.
2 people like this
@marguicha (215518)
• Chile
25 Mar
It looked like a tapeworm to me and I confess that I found it quite disgusting. I dread that some of those worms might get inside me by any means.
4 people like this
@TheHorse (205919)
• Walnut Creek, California
25 Mar
Great minds think alike. See my comment.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
You're not like to ingest one. They're found in the soil.
1 person likes this
@wolfgirl569 (95319)
• Marion, Ohio
25 Mar
They are ugly and don't sound very useful
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (95319)
• Marion, Ohio
25 Mar
@JudyEv Thankfully I haven't seen any here
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
They are invasive where earthworms are valued in gardens.
1 person likes this
@Ronrybs (17840)
• London, England
25 Mar
Not sure I'd like to be near this one! Bet when it feels like it, it is like greased lightning
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
It's not a snake so may not be particularly fast. Just checked - it's 8-12 inches long.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Mar
@Ronrybs I don't like snakes either but thankfully I'm not paranoid about them.
@Ronrybs (17840)
• London, England
26 Mar
@JudyEv Still pretty sure I'd not like to meet one!
1 person likes this
• Nairobi, Kenya
25 Mar
Thank you for sharing about this worm with us. It definitely looks like a snake on the photo. I agree, it's very odd-looking.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
The head is a very strange shape. No wonder it is called a hammerhead.
2 people like this
• Nairobi, Kenya
25 Mar
@JudyEv I've never seen it physically.
1 person likes this
@akanetuk (2107)
25 Mar
That looks like a worm and at the same time looks like an eel, the nature of head clearly indicates it is a worm.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
It's a very strange looking creature, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
25 Mar
I haven't seen them before. It looks like a big worm?
1 person likes this
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
26 Mar
@JudyEv Actually I feel scared to look at it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
@youless It's only about a foot long but it does look a bit scary.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
It's called a flatworm but doesn't it have a funny head?
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170083)
• United States
25 Mar
I never saw anything like that before.
1 person likes this
@snowy22315 (170083)
• United States
26 Mar
@JudyEv oh yes it made up my day..
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
Me either. I just knew you'd all want to know about it!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
1 person likes this
@RebeccasFarm (86768)
• United States
25 Mar
They are really gross looking Judy.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Mar
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
I wonder where its eyes are if its mouth is in the middle of the body.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36460)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 Mar
It's a weird looking worm in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (36460)
• Toccoa, Georgia
26 Mar
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
And I share that opinion too! Very weird indeed.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458398)
• Switzerland
25 Mar
No matter what it is every animal with no legs scares me.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (458398)
• Switzerland
25 Mar
@JudyEv Black and shiny, the snakes in our garden are also black, but not shiny.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
I did think of those who have a snake phobia but it was so interesting I wanted to share it.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306527)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Mar
I'm glad this worm wasn't in your home. It's interesting though.
1 person likes this
@just4him (306527)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
25 Mar
@JudyEv Yes, it is intriguing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
It has such an unusually shaped head. Very intriguing.
1 person likes this
@Morleyhunt (21736)
• Canada
26 Mar
They are odd looking. I must ask my daughter about them as an invasive species. As an inspector she sees all manner of bugs, fungi, plants etc.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
I think they've been around for a long time but that's the case with many invasive species. You just have to think about our rabbits! lol
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99392)
• Canada
25 Mar
I have never heard them before. They are an odd looking creature.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
They are very odd but fancy having a mouth in the middle of its length.
1 person likes this
@Happy2BeMe (99392)
• Canada
25 Mar
@JudyEv That is so wierd
1 person likes this
@BarBaraPrz (45501)
• St. Catharines, Ontario
25 Mar
Oh, I think I can name a predator for them: little kids who like to stomp on worms...
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Mar
True. Little kids can be great predators.
1 person likes this
• China
25 Mar
They look strange and give me gooseflesh ! I know ricefield eels are hermaphrodite too.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
There are some weird and wonderful creatures out there, that's for sure.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (73506)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
25 Mar
I have heard about flatworms, Ugly looking thing, Thanks for the info,
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
I found the shape of it quite fascinating.
1 person likes this
@Shiva49 (26207)
• Singapore
25 Mar
Looks slimy. Not easy to live with!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
They might be 8-12 inches long and yes, it does look slimy.
1 person likes this
• Pakistan
25 Mar
Indeed, the flatworms of the genus Bipalium are fascinating with their hammerhead-shaped heads and unique feeding habits
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
It's weird to know that the mouth of the worm is in the middle of its body!
@dya80dya (33591)
25 Mar
This looks so weird. But there are many weird things in this world.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (325878)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Mar
There are indeed but some we don't often hear about.