One of the most invasive species on planet spotted in Florida

Rachel Feltman of The Washington Post has this article that appeared yesterday (6/23) about the New Guinea Flatworm:

     The New Guinea flatworm is kind of a pest. In fact, it's considered one of the world's most invasive species. When it shows up uninvited to a region where it lacks natural predators, it makes itself at home -- at the cost of native species forced to compete with it. And now, the flatworm has made its way to mainland Florida, putting the whole country at risk of an invasion. [emphasis added] Reports of the worm were published Tuesday in PeerJ.
     Platydemus manokwari isn't dangerous to humans. Not directly, anyway. But it also isn't pretty: The very flat worm grows to about two inches long, and has a murky olive back and a pale belly -- a belly with a mouth in the middle of it. So it basically looks like a sneeze with eyes.
     But while the New Guinea flatworm poses no danger to you, it could harm the ecosystem: The flatworm is known to feast on local snails wherever it lands, even climbing up trees to get to them.

The New Guinea Flatworm (the head is to the right). Image from Wikipedia.