Title: Bipalium Content: Bipalium is a genus of large predatory land planarians. They are often called "hammerhead worms" or "broadhead planarians" because of their head shape. Several species are considered as invasive to the United StatesOgren, R.E. 1985. The human factor in the spread of an exotic land planarian in Pennsylvania. Proc. of the Penn. Acad. of Sci. 59: 117-118. and Europe. Some studies have been done on the evolution and ecology in these planarians. The name Bipalium comes from Latin bi-, “two” + pala, “shovel” or “spade”. This is because their heads look like a pickaxe. == Species == The genus Bipalium currently has the following species: *Bipalium adensameri *Bipalium admarginatum *Bipalium adventitium *Bipalium albo-coeruleus *Bipalium alternans *Bipalium bengalensis *Bipalium bergendali *Bipalium bimaculatum *Bipalium chhatarpurensis *Bipalium choristosperma *Bipalium costaricensis *Bipalium crassatrium *Bipalium distinguendum *Bipalium dubium *Bipalium fuscatum *Bipalium fuscolineatum *Bipalium gestroi *Bipalium glandiantrum *Bipalium glandulosa *Bipalium glaucum *Bipalium gracilis *Bipalium graffi *Bipalium haberlandti *Bipalium hilgendorfi *Bipalium interruptum *Bipalium janseni *Bipalium javanum *Bipalium kaburakii *Bipalium katoi *Bipalium kewense *Bipalium kisoense *Bipalium kraepelini *Bipalium manubriatum *Bipalium marginatum *Bipalium mjobergi *Bipalium mondimentum *Bipalium monolineatum *Bipalium moseleyi *Bipalium muninense *Bipalium myadenosium *Bipalium nigrum *Bipalium nobile *Bipalium ochroleucum *Bipalium pennsylvanicum *Bipalium penrissenicum *Bipalium penzigi *Bipalium persephone *Bipalium poiense *Bipalium rigaudi *Bipalium robiginosum *Bipalium semperi *Bipalium simrothi *Bipalium strubelli *Bipalium sudzukii *Bipalium sylvestre *Bipalium tetsuyai *Bipalium unistriatus *Bipalium univittatum *Bipalium vagum *Bipalium virile *Bipalium weismanni *Bipalium wiesneri == Feeding habits == Bipalium species are predatory. Some species eat earthworms. Others eat mollusks. These flatworms can track their prey. When they eat earthworms, they begin to react to the attack. The flatworm then uses the muscles in its body to attach itself to the earthworm to make it so it can't escape. == Reproduction == Reproduction in Bipalium may be asexual or sexual. All species are hermaphroditic. B. adventitium reproduces sexually. They make egg capsules which hatch about 3 weeks later. The egg capsules have a tough outside. They usually have multiple children. B. kewense sometimes are seen using egg capsules as a primary method of reproduction. Asexual reproduction is its main reproductive strategy in temperate climates. Many of them never get sexual organs. Children of this species aren't the same colors as their parents when they are young. This is unlike other species. == Toxicity == In 2014, tetrodotoxin, a very dangerous neurotoxin, was found in B. adventitium and B. kewense. It is the first record of tetrodotoxin in terrestrial invertebrates. == Gallery == File:Bipalium kewense sighted in Austin, Texas 02.JPG|Bipalium kewense sighted in Austin, Texas File:Bipalium kewense sighted in Austin, Texas 01.JPG|Close up of head of Bipalium kewense File:Bipalium from GA.jpg|Specimen of Bipalium found in Georgia, United States File:Hammerhead worm 2.jpg|Hammerhead worm found in Kerala, India File:Hammer Headed Worm.jpg|Hammerhead worm found in Chennai and Coimbatore , INDIA File:Bipalium kewense.ogv|Video of a Bipalium sp. from Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico File:Hammerhead Worm.jpg|A hammerhead worm seen in Kolkata, India File:Bipalium, Kayamkulam, Alappyzha, Kerala, India.jpg|Bipalium found in Kerala, India 03.08.2021 File:Bipalium, Kayamkulam, Kerala, India.jpg|alt=Bipalium|Hammer headed worm / snail found in Kerala, India