Departament de Genètica, Facultat de Biologia i Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
Departament de Biologia Animal, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona , Barcelona , Spain.
PeerJ. 2014 Jun 10;2:e430. doi: 10.7717/peerj.430. eCollection 2014.
Many tropical terrestrial planarians (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) have been introduced around the globe. One of these species is known to cause significant decline in earthworm populations, resulting in a reduction of ecological functions that earthworms provide. Flatworms, additionally, are a potential risk to other species that have the same dietary needs. Hence, the planarian invasion might cause significant economic losses in agriculture and damage to the ecosystem. In the Iberian Peninsula only Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1878 had been cited till 2007. From that year on, four more species have been cited, and several reports of the presence of these animals in particular gardens have been received. In the present study we have: (1) analyzed the animals sent by non-specialists and also the presence of terrestrial planarians in plant nurseries and garden centers; (2) identified their species through morphological and phylogenetic molecular analyses, including representatives of their areas of origin; (3) revised their dietary sources and (4) used Species Distribution Modeling (SDM) for one species to evaluate the risk of its introduction to natural areas. The results have shown the presence of at least ten species of alien terrestrial planarians, from all its phylogenetic range. International plant trade is the source of these animals, and many garden centers are acting as reservoirs. Also, landscape restoration to reintroduce autochthonous plants has facilitated their introduction close to natural forests and agricultural fields. In conclusion, there is a need to take measures on plant trade and to have special care in the treatment of restored habitats.
许多热带陆生扁形动物（扁形动物门，Geoplanidae 科）已在全球范围内被引入。其中一种物种已知会导致蚯蚓数量显著减少，从而减少蚯蚓提供的生态功能。此外，扁形动物对具有相同饮食需求的其他物种构成潜在风险。因此，扁形动物的入侵可能会给农业带来重大经济损失，并对生态系统造成破坏。在伊比利亚半岛，直到 2007 年才提到过 Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1878 这一种。从那年起，又有四种物种被提及，并且收到了这些动物在特定花园存在的几份报告。在本研究中，我们：（1）分析了非专业人员送来的动物，以及植物苗圃和花园中心中陆生扁形动物的存在情况；（2）通过形态学和系统发育分子分析确定了它们的物种，包括其起源地区的代表；（3）重新评估了它们的食物来源；（4）使用物种分布模型（SDM）评估了一种物种引入自然区域的风险。结果表明，至少有十种外来陆生扁形动物存在，涵盖了它们的所有系统发育范围。国际植物贸易是这些动物的来源，许多花园中心充当着它们的储存库。此外，景观恢复以重新引入本地植物，也促进了它们在自然森林和农田附近的引入。总之，需要对植物贸易采取措施，并特别注意恢复栖息地的处理。
