It is not the hammerhead shark, but the hammerhead worm has become a real threat in France. Or at least a threat to worms, as Earther reports.
Believed to be an invasive species from Asia, the hammerhead worm has only recently been recorded in France, as recorded in a new study (entitled “large worms” chez moi! “) published in the journal PeerJ. However, based on reports, photos, and videos submitted by citizens across the country, scientists concluded that the pests have not been identified for nearly 20 years. This came as a surprise, especially since the worms are able to measure more than a foot.
In the last few years, three species of the carnivorous worm have slowly taken over French gardens and have been observed even in metropolitan areas. Some species move their prey with tetrodotoxin, the only powerful neurotoxin that makes pufferfish so poisonous. The worms secrete a digestive enzyme, allowing worms to disperse and snails the size.
Jean-Lou Justine, co-author of the study, says their eating habits are a cause for concern. “Earthworms are a key component of soil biofuels and a very important element in soil ecology,” Justine tells Earther. “Any predator that reduces the numbers of such worms poses a threat to the ecology of the earth.”
Archie Murchie, an entomologist who was not involved in the study, said The Washington Post the worms continue to spread in accordance with world trade. The worms have also been spotted in French overseas areas, including a single blue-green worm resembling a newly discovered species, Murchie tells the newspaper.
[h/t Earther]