Introduced flatworm meant to curb African snails devastates native Samoan snail species

During the 1990s, Pacific agricultural authorities released the New Guinea flatworm (Platydemus manokwari) onto Samoa to control the invasive giant African land snail (Achatina fulica). Rather than targeting only the pest, the flatworm’s broad diet allowed it to hunt native arboreal snails, accelerating the loss of unique Partula and Samoana species that had evolved without such predators. Research archived in PubMed Central shows the worm quickly colonized leaf litter and canopy layers, making eradication challenging.

Federal records in the US Federal one outlet note that the US Fish & Wildlife Service has formally listed several of these island snails as endangered or threatened. The flatworm is now ranked among the world’s 100 worst invasive alien species. Conservationists stress strict biosecurity and captive-breeding programs as the remaining safeguards for the few surviving native snails.