First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China

The New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) caused extinction of the native land snails on several Pacific island in past decades, and therefore it has been listed among the top 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. Using morphological and molecular methods, New Guinea flatworms were d...

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Main Authors: Junjie Hu, Muhua Yang, Elysia Ruoyan Ye, Yulong Ye, Yao Niu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pensoft Publishers 2019-08-01
Series:ZooKeys
Online Access:https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/36458/download/pdf/
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author Junjie Hu
Muhua Yang
Elysia Ruoyan Ye
Yulong Ye
Yao Niu
author_facet Junjie Hu
Muhua Yang
Elysia Ruoyan Ye
Yulong Ye
Yao Niu
author_sort Junjie Hu
collection DOAJ
description The New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) caused extinction of the native land snails on several Pacific island in past decades, and therefore it has been listed among the top 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. Using morphological and molecular methods, New Guinea flatworms were discovered and identified for the first time in Hong Kong Island during a field investigation in July and August 2018. The flatworms were 32–60 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, and 1–2 mm thick. The dorsal side of the flatworm was dark brown with a thin yellow central line, and its ventral side appeared pale grey. To further verify this species, both 18S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COX1) obtained from three specimens of P. manokwari were sequenced and analysed. While comparing these sequences with those previously deposited in GenBank, these 18S rDNA sequences shared 100% identity with the single available 18S rDNA sequence of P. manokwari; and the obtained COX1 sequences were identical to those of P. manokwari world genotype. Two native snails, Criptosoma imperator and Bradybaena similaris, have been found to be the prey of this predator during this investigation. Therefore, the invasive New Guinea flatworm certainly will cause a serious impact on the biodiversity of native snail populations, and an economic and environmental risk assessment for P. manokwari need to be completed in the near future in Hong Kong.
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spelling doaj.art-5700020f12444035b26d711c445bdcf62022-12-22T02:49:46ZengPensoft PublishersZooKeys1313-29891313-29702019-08-018731710.3897/zookeys.873.3645836458First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, ChinaJunjie Hu0Muhua Yang1Elysia Ruoyan Ye2Yulong Ye3Yao Niu4Yunnan UniversitySt Joseph’s CollegeHong Kong Youth Science AcademyYunnan UniversityHenan Normal UniversityThe New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) caused extinction of the native land snails on several Pacific island in past decades, and therefore it has been listed among the top 100 of the world’s worst invasive alien species. Using morphological and molecular methods, New Guinea flatworms were discovered and identified for the first time in Hong Kong Island during a field investigation in July and August 2018. The flatworms were 32–60 mm long, 3–5 mm wide, and 1–2 mm thick. The dorsal side of the flatworm was dark brown with a thin yellow central line, and its ventral side appeared pale grey. To further verify this species, both 18S rDNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COX1) obtained from three specimens of P. manokwari were sequenced and analysed. While comparing these sequences with those previously deposited in GenBank, these 18S rDNA sequences shared 100% identity with the single available 18S rDNA sequence of P. manokwari; and the obtained COX1 sequences were identical to those of P. manokwari world genotype. Two native snails, Criptosoma imperator and Bradybaena similaris, have been found to be the prey of this predator during this investigation. Therefore, the invasive New Guinea flatworm certainly will cause a serious impact on the biodiversity of native snail populations, and an economic and environmental risk assessment for P. manokwari need to be completed in the near future in Hong Kong.https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/36458/download/pdf/
spellingShingle Junjie Hu
Muhua Yang
Elysia Ruoyan Ye
Yulong Ye
Yao Niu
First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
ZooKeys
title First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
title_full First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
title_fullStr First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
title_full_unstemmed First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
title_short First record of the New Guinea flatworm Platydemus manokwari (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae) as an alien species in Hong Kong Island, China
title_sort first record of the new guinea flatworm platydemus manokwari platyhelminthes geoplanidae as an alien species in hong kong island china
url https://zookeys.pensoft.net/article/36458/download/pdf/
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