Aliens Invade Hong Kong: First Record of the New Guinea Flatworm (Platydemus Manokwari) As an Invasive Species in Hong Kong, China

Aliens Invade Hong Kong: First Record of the New Guinea Flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) as an Invasive Species in Hong Kong, China Yang, Muhua (School: St. Joseph's College) Ye, Elysia (School: Chinese International School) New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari), native to New Guinea, is extremely invasive. It has caused the extinction of native land snails on several Pacific islands, including Hawaii. Therefore, it has been listed among 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. Here, the invasive flatworms were for the first time found and identified in two of nine locations, the central and southern districts of Hong Kong. New Guinea flatworms were flat, and both ends were pointed. They were 60–75 mm long, 3–5mm wide, and 1–2mm thick. The dorsal side of the flatworm was dark brown with a yellow slender central line, and its ventral side appeared pale grey. The three COXI gene (COX1) sequences each obtained from an individual P. manokwari were approximately 900 bp in length and completely identical. While blasting with these sequences, they shared 100% identity with those of P. manokwari world genotype, and 95.02–96.27% identity with those of Australian genotype. On the basis of field observation and feeding experiment, the native tree snail, Criptosoma imperator was the most favorite prey to this predator compared with other alien snails. Therefore, the invasive species certainly will bring serious threats to the local biodiversity and ecosystems, and potentially cause economic problems in Hong Kong. It is time to take actions to control its negative impact and prevent it from spreading to other regions of China. This is the first record of New Guinea flatworm in Hong Kong, even in China. Awards Won: Third Award of $1,000 Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society: Honorable Mention Physical Science Award.

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New Guinea Flatworm (385)
Pacific Pests and Pathogens - Fact Sheets https://apps.lucidcentral.org/ppp/ New Guinea flatworm (385) Photo 2. The New Guinea flatworm, Platydemus manokwari, feeding on a snail. The flatworm uses a Photo 1. The New Guinea flatworm, Platydemus white cylindrical tube to feed that is visible on the manokwari. The head is on the right. underside. Common Name New Guinea flatworm Scientific Name Platydemus manokwari Distribution Wide. Southeast and East Asia (Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Republic of Maldives, Singapore, Thailand), North America (Hawaii and Florida), Europe (restricted – hot-house in France), the Caribbean (Puerto Rico), Oceania. It is recorded from Australia (Northern Territory and Queensland), Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei), Fiji, French Polynesia, Guam, New Caledonia, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and Wallis and Futuna. The flatworm is known from lowlands to more than 3500 m (Papua New Guinea). Hosts Snails, slugs, and other species of flatworms, and invertebrate animals such as earthworms and cockroaches. Symptoms & Life Cycle A voracious predator of introduced and endemic snails, plus other terrestrial molluscs as well as earthworms. It is found in a variety of habitats, although it favours forests, plantations and orchards, especially disturbed areas, those that are moist, but not wet. It is commonly found in leaf litter, under rocks, timber, and within the leaves and cavities of banana, palms, taro and other root crops. The flatworm reproduces sexually, although if divided into separate pieces each regenerate into complete flatworms within 2 weeks. Several eggs are laid together in a cocoon, 2-5 mm diameter, surrounded by mucus.
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