First report in France ofCaenoplana decolorata, a recently described species of alien terrestrial flatworm (Platyhelminthes, Geoplanidae)

• DOI: 10.1101/2020.11.06.371385
• Publication Date: 2020-11-08T22:55:12Z
• Authors: Jean-Lou Justine; Delphine Gey; Jessica Thévenot; Clément Gouraud; Leigh Winsor
• Keywords: Flatworm; Turbellaria; Alien species; Morphology

Abstract Alien land flatworms (family Geoplanidae) are invading many countries in the world. Some can easily be identified by their morphology and colour pattern, but some more cryptic necessitate a molecular approach. Caenoplana decolorata Mateos et al., 2020 was recently described, from specimens found Spain, as sibling species to C. coerulea Moseley, 1877. We that one specimen collected Nantes, France 2014 had 100% identity of its COI sequence with original description , thus we record here for first time France.