Currently known exotic planarians from Japan

Abstract

A total of 8 species of exotic planarians (5 families, 2 subfamilies, 6 genera) are now known from Japan. They are: Dugesia austroasiatica Kawakatsu, 1985; Girardia tigrina (Girard, 1850); Girardia dorotocephala (Woodworth, 1897); Bipalium kewense Moseley, 1878; Bipalium nobile Kawakatsu and Makino, 1982; Platydemus manokwari de Beauchamp, 1962; Rhodax evelinae? Marcus, 1946; Temnosewellia minor (Haswell, 1887). Among these species, naturalized populations in Japan of G. tigrina, G. dorotocephala, B. kewense and B. nobile have gradually increased. Artificial removal in Japan of Platydemus manokwari has been prohibited by the Invasive Alien Species Act since 2006.