Bipalium

***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 States 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.

## Other websites

- _Bipalium_  from Kerala, India.
- _Bipalium_ by University of Maine Turbellarian taxonomic database
- Land planarians by Texas A&M University Insects in the City
- Photograph of _B. adventitium_
- Photograph of _B. nobile_
- Photograph of _B. simrothi_