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It's known as one of the world's most invasive species, according to The Washington Post.
The New Guinea flatworm has made its way onto U.S. soil, reaching the mainland of Florida, and its arrival could wreak havoc on the ecosystem.
“It basically looks like a sneeze with eyes,” according to The Post. The flatworm can grow up to two inches long and has “a murky olive back and a pale belly,” with its mouth in the center.
This flatworm feeds mostly on snails -- and can even climb trees to get to them, The Washington Post reports. This flatworm also devours earthworms.
Snails and earthworms are vital to the ecosystem because snails are a source of food to many top food-chain animals, and earthworms help with agriculture, The Post reports.
In 2014 the species invaded France, and researchers were scared that "all snails in Europe could be wiped out," said Jean-Lou Justine of France's National Museum of Natural History to The Guardian last year.
It is believed the flatworm was brought to the U.S. through infested plants.
“Now that the species has landed on large land masses … there’s no telling how quickly it will spread,” The Post reports.
Read more at washingtonpost.com
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